Source: Armenpress
YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 26, ARMENPRESS. The visits of the Canadian official to the Republic of Armenia and the Nagorno Karabakh Republic caused much ado in Azerbaijan. Canadian MP Stéphane Dion stated this at the course of the press conference held on September 26. The member of the Canadian Parliament confessed that he had no idea about the Azerbaijani black list. Also Stéphane Dion noted that in his opinion that policy adopted by Azerbaijan is not logical and that Azerbaijan must have respect towards the activity of the OSCE Minsk Group in the region instead of creating hostile air. As reports “Armenpress” among other things Stéphane Dion underscored: “The goal of my visit was not to cause intensity between Canada and Azerbaijan. I came here for the Syrian-Armenians’ issue and Azerbaijan must take it into consideration. At the course of my visit the Azerbaijanis got in touch with my office and complained that I paid a visit to Artsakh without their permission. I find that the efforts of Azerbaijan to deprive the people of Artsakh from the opportunities to establish relations with the external world are not logical.”
The President of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic Bako Sahakyan received the member of the Canadian Parliament Stéphane Dion on September 23. A number of issues related to the Artsakh-Canada relations
were discussed during the meeting. Special attention was paid to the development of inter-parliamentarian ties.
The President Sahakyan noted that Artsakh was interested in expanding and deepening of relationships with the leading democratic states, highlighting within this context cooperation with Canada.
The National Assembly deputy speaker Arthur Tovmasyan, foreign minister Karen Mirzoyan, NKR permanent representative to the USA and Canada Robert Avetisyan, chairman of the Armenian National Committee of Canada Girair Basmadjian and other officials attended the meeting.
Stéphane Maurice Dion, PC, MP (born 28 September 1955) is a Canadian politician who has been the Member of Parliament for the riding of Saint-Laurent–Cartierville in Montreal since 1996. He was the leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and the Leader of the Opposition in the Canadian House of Commons from 2006 to 2008. Dion resigned as Liberal leader after the party’s defeat in the 2008 general election, but remained in Parliament and was re-elected in his riding in the 2011 election.
Dion is a former academic who served as a cabinet minister under Jean Chrétien and Paul Martin and, as such, is a Member of the Privy Council.
