Members of the Armenian community in Holland submitted a petition on Nagorno-Karabakh to the Dutch Parliament. Inge Drost, Sarine Abrahamyan and Mato Akhverdyan handed the petition over to Foreign Affairs Committee members headed by Committee Chairwoman Nebahat Albayrak.

The petition attaches high importance of Nagorno-Karabakh’s self-determination both for the Nagorno-Karabakh people and for other countries, such as Kosovo, which was recognized by Holland as well. Geopolitical, economic and energy interest cannot be the only guidelines, the petition says.

Holland has good relations with Azerbaijan despite the fact that the country’s authoritarian regime is violating human rights. The country lacks freedom of speech and corruption in rampant there. Even Azerbaijanis living in Holland held an action of protest in front of the Azerbaijani Embassy, being indignant at widespread poverty in the country despite increasing oil profits.

The petition calls on the Dutch Parliament to condemn the violence used by the Azerbaijani regime, pay attention  to the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh, revise its relations with official Baku and contribute to the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process, respecting the Nagorno-Karabakh people’s right to self-determination.

Mrs. N. Albayrak assured the Armenian delegation that the Committee will thoroughly discuss all the issues raised in the petition.

The petition will also be sent to Dutch Foreign Minister Rosenthal, Senate Chairman Mr. Van Der Linden, Chairman of Dutch PACE delegation Mrs. Bemelmans-Videc, and Chairman of Dutch delegation
to OSCE Mr. Coruz.

Armenian organizations in The Hague held a rally on 28 February to support of the Nagorno Karabakh peace process and commemorate the 23rd anniversary of the Armenian massacre in Sumgait.

The participants marched to the Embassy of Azerbaijan, with the Armenian and of Nagorno-Karabakh national flags and posters in their hands. The posters read: " Stop! Azerbaijani aggression!", "Hands off Nagorno-Karabakh!", "Do not forget the pogroms of Armenians in Sumgayit!", "Stop the Azerbaijani crimes against humanity!", "Peace and Freedom for Nagorno-Karabakh!,"

The demonstrators expressed their concern over Azerbaijan’s threats to resume hostilities in Nagorno-Karabakh and unleash a new war against Armenia.