YEREVAN. – The role of PACE is not to take side of Armenia or Azerbaijan, President of the organization Jean-Claude Mignon told reporters in Yerevan.

“Our role is to support the Minsk Group through parliamentary diplomacy, something that we have been doing for some time. But the Minsk Group also needs the help of 47 member states,” he said.

He recalled that France and Germany recently marked the 50th anniversary of the Élysée Treaty.

“Nothing is impossible. What was possible for France and Germany is possible for Armenia and Azerbaijan,” he added.

Speaking about ad hoc committee on Karabakh, Mignon said it was set up at the initiative of one of his predecessors. But it has been never able to work, because one of the two parties refused to recognize legitimacy of this committee.

“I would like to use the Minsk Group to make headway on this issue. All our discussions are based on the Madrid principles. What we must not do it is to take initiative which will interfere with the Minsk Group,” he said, adding that the role of PACE is to completely respect neutrality.

“This is on of the conditions for success of negotiations.”

Photo by Arsen Sargsyan/NEWS.am