The Joint Armenian Organisations in the Netherlands submitted a petition on Nagorno-Karabakh to the Chairwoman of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs of the Parliament, Mrs. A.M.C. Eijsink. Several MPs attended this meeting: Mr. Omtzigt of the CDA faction, Mr. van Roon of the PVV faction, Mr. Sjoerdsma of D66 faction, Mr. Servaes of the Labour Party faction and Mr. van Bommel of the Socialist Party. The latter visited Nagorno-Karabakh not long ago.

The Armenian delegation consisted of representatives of various Armenian organisations that are part of the Joint Armenian Organisations in the Netherlands.

The petition expresses serious concerns about the situation and sharply condemns the violence of the Azerbaijani side. In addition to the military aggression also civilians including children and elderly became victims. The delegation handed over a picture showing atrocities committed by Azerbaijani forces on elderly people in Tavush.

The MPs have been asked to condemn this violence in the strongest terms, and also to ask the Foreign Minister to do so as well and to propose as EU chairman to the European Council of Foreign Ministers to express corresponding statements. The petition also requests an active attitude towards finding a peaceful solution, such as the Minsk group of the OSCE has been doing for years, but Azerbaijan has systematically rejected so far.

During the submission of the petition the delegation mentioned some points that are often overlooked in this case, like the fact that it is not a matter of occupation, because Armenians have been living in Nagorno-Karabakh for millennia. The circumstances of the conflict are often forgotten, namely that the population of autonomous region or so-called “oblast” of Nagorno-Karabakh lawfully and without violence and according to Soviet legislation seceded from Azerbaijan, after Azerbaijan had seceded from the Soviet Union, whereafter the Azeri violence erupted. The Joint Armenian Organisations pointed out on the additional danger that exists by the fact that Azerbaijan is an undemocratic state, and also makes use of radicalised fighters as mercenaries.

The Joint Armenian Organisations also mentioned that the Netherlands must be more alert and must actively combat the hatred campaigns from Turkish and Azerbaijani side against Armenians, which also take place in the Netherlands.

Afterwards the delegation spoke with the MPs and further exchanged views about the backgrounds and solutions to the dangerous situation in Nagorno-Karabakh.