The office of EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus Peter Semneby responded to the Nov. 3 NEWS.am article on the statements by the European politician in the interview with Russian paper “Vremya Novostei”. Mr. Semneby told journalists, that “As regards the Armenian and Azerbaijani sides’ readiness for concessions in the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process, Semneby pointed out that the Madrid Principles, which became known after the G8 meeting, contain rather clear definitions,” NEWS.am article reads.

At that, EU Special Representative underlined that “the most serious problems are in details, but general principles for both the sides to make concessions are clear. The most complicated issues, namely the ones related to Nagorno-Karabakh’s status, are postponed for an indefinite period.”

Commenting on the critics voiced by RA Deputy Foreign Minister Shavarsh Kocharyan as well as in the article by political expert Ivan Gharibyan, Mr. Semneby’s Political Advisor Andrei Didenko says, “News.am carried an unsigned article on 3 November, which misinterpreted and criticized me for statements I made in an interview to the Russian newspaper Vremya Novostei on 2 November. I would like to make the following clarifications.

My statement on the determination of the status of Nagorno-Karabakh reflects the statement of Presidents Obama, Medvedev, and Sarkozy at the G20 summit in Italy on 10 July 2009. This document states that the Basic Principles call for future determination of the final legal status of Nagorno-Karabakh through a legally binding expression of will.

In the Vremya Novostei interview, the reporter asked a deliberately provocative question asserting, inter alia, that the result of the vote may be negative for Armenia. The written text could give the impression that I share all assumptions of the journalist, which is not the case. I merely acknowledged that this is a difficult issue for Yerevan.”

The message was signed “Peter Semneby, The EU Special Representative for South Caucasus”.

Although the letter was sent by Andrei Didenko, it spoke on behalf of Mr. Semneby. We would like to let the European Diplomat know that Mr. Ivan Gharbyan is the author of the article which says his name in the original text (in Russian).

It is apparent that neither the author, nor the Agency knew of the “provocative” nature of the Vremya Novostei reporter’s question (also even post factum there seems to be nothing provocative), and published the article based on the context of Mr. Semneby’s replies solely.

For some reason the EU diplomat reckons that it is easier for Yerevan to make concessions, than for Baku. Meanwhile he concealed of Azerbaijan’s unacceptability to escalate warlike rhetoric in the current situation. This rhetoric in the strained situation sounds more provocative, than the reporter’s questions. Referring to the statements by Russian, U.S., and French Presidents, Peter Semneby fails to mention that Obama, Medvedev and Sarkozy insist that the conflict should be resolved peacefully observing all norms of the international law – including the one on nations’ right for self-determination. And intentionally protract or accelerate the day of this right’s triumph – is a blemish job, as Karabakhi people already exercised their right in the course of the war forced upon them and without accounting for the opinion of various European and other officials.