Armenian NGOs against the moving of UN regional offices to Istanbul

Anna Nazaryan

“Radiolur”

Turkey is trying to affect the UN decisions and spares no financial means to transfer the UN regional offices to Istanbul. A number of Armenian NGOs assess this as a political step and are concerned with the initiative, which is a violation of the fundamental principles and objectives of the UN, particularly some points of the UN Charter.

The Armenian NGOs have addressed a letter to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon. A few days ago they applied to the visiting Deputy Prime Minister of Slovenia, urging the EU to give assessment to the issue.

Another letter has been prepared in cooperation with representatives of the National Assembly and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, member of the Public Council, President of the Association for Stable Human Development Karine Danielyan told reporters today. Everything should be done to prevent the transfer of UN regional offices to Istanbul.

Head of the  Center for the Development of Civil Society Svetlana Aslanyan added that other countries also stand against the initiative.

Former Human Rights Defender Larisa Alaverdyan said the intention to move UN regional offices to Istanbul pursues political purposes, although it is said that the initiative aims to eliminate the technical obstacles and settle the financial issues.

Turkey is rather generous unlike many other UN member states, and most probably, this has served as a ground for the move of UN offices to Istanbul, Larisa Alaverdyan said.

Turkey will thus have an opportunity to influence UN decisions, which does not meet Armenia’s interests, the ex-Ombudswoman said.

How can a country that has committed genocide try to convince the world of its humanism? Ethnographer Hranush Kharatyan believes the world should know that the Ottoman Empire is a ‘genocidal country.’

Greece has officially declared it stands against the intention to move US regional offices to Istanbul. It’s time for Armenia to do the same, she said.

via Armenian NGOs against the moving of UN regional offices to Istanbul | Public Radio of Armenia.