The unresolved Nagorno-Karabakh conflict is the main obstacle to stability in the region, the new chairman of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) Movlud Cavusoglu said in an exclusive interview to Trend News on Tuesday. Talking about possible contribution PACE could make to solution of Nagorno-Karabakh problem during his presidency, Movlud Cavusoglu said that there are PACE decisions on the conflict and they must be implemented.

“There are PACE decisions on Nagorno-Karabakh. These decisions must be implemented. In addition, the OSCE Minsk Group should more actively pursue efforts that would have this conflict resolved in the near future, because it is the main obstacle facing the region’s stability. Minsk Group deals with this question. Many countries provide support to this. We must also support this. We have resolutions on the issue. Additionally, the agenda is the work of the PACE Subcommittee on Nagorno-Karabakh. Perhaps some work can be carried out in this direction too. But, ultimately, we as a Council of Europe, should provide strong support for this reconciliation, resolution of the conflict”, said PACE chairman.

Referring to the decision of the Constitutional Court of Armenia on the Turkish-Armenian protocols Cavusoglu noted that it would be wrong if he, as chairman of the PACE, commented on the Armenian-Turkish relations. “It is wrong for me, as chairman of PACE, to comment on the Armenian-Turkish relations. It would be wrong if I touch upon specific topics. Our desire is that relations between the two countries normalize. There are issues not only with Turkey, but also with Azerbaijan. Indirectly, we also want this question decided in a short time through reconciliation,” said Cavusoglu.

PACE chairman believes that the organization should increase its efficiency, so that its decisions would be applied. “We are currently working together to reform the Council of Europe. As you said, the decision taken by the CE are not fully implemented in some countries. Even the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights are not being implemented in full. Application of all these decisions is necessary. There are not serious sanctions to apply against this situation. The only sanction is the freezing member country delegation’s powers and exclusion from membership. And it did not work until today. Indirectly, it is also not a good working mechanism. But ultimately, we must improve the effectiveness of the organization, so that decisions it adopted, would be implemented, “- said PACE chairman.