Evidence of meeting #44 for Foreign Affairs and International Development in the 44th Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was artsakh.
A video is available from Parliament.
Liberal
Hedy Fry Liberal Vancouver Centre, BC
Thank you.
I would like to see a little bit more civility in the way the witness is responding to the member of Parliament who is asking him questions. I also think it would be respectful for him to let Mr. Oliphant finish his question before he cuts in. I would also like to hear from the other witness.
Thank you.
Co-President, Armenian National Committee of Canada
I'm not sure that it's a point of order to hear from the other witness—
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ali Ehsassi
Mr. Mirakian, you have to wait until you are recognized by the chair. If I could remind—
Co-President, Armenian National Committee of Canada
I'd like to rise on a point of order, then.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ali Ehsassi
You do not have the right to a point of order, Mr. Mirakian. The members do.
Co-President, Armenian National Committee of Canada
Do I have a right to a response?
Co-President, Armenian National Committee of Canada
I'd like to ask the clerk if I have the right to a response on a point of order.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ali Ehsassi
Mr. Mirakian, you do not have the right to a response, but you do have essentially 15 seconds remaining.
I would ask all the witnesses and the members as well to make sure that we are approaching today with the utmost decorum, because we are all here to learn about the situation. We'd be grateful if everyone did co-operate.
Mr. Mirakian, you have 15 seconds remaining.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ali Ehsassi
No. Mr. Mirakian was speaking, and then there was the point of order.
Mr. Mirakian, please proceed.
Co-President, Armenian National Committee of Canada
I will just say that I think Dr. Fry has misrepresented my advocacy for a lack of decorum, and I think I have been nothing but polite. I don't think I've used any unparliamentary language. I don't think I've spoken out of turn. I don't think I've interrupted. I waited for Mr. Oliphant to finish and then I responded.
I think there is a difference between vigorous advocacy and a lack of civility and being unparliamentary. Yes, we are here to present our position forcefully and with advocacy. I will apologize if it has been taken incorrectly, but I don't believe I've crossed that line.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ali Ehsassi
Thank you, Mr. Mirakian.
We will now go to Mr. Bergeron.
Mr. Bergeron, you have six minutes, sir.
Bloc
Stéphane Bergeron Bloc Montarville, QC
Thank you, Mr. Chair.
I would like to thank our witnesses for being with us today and for their testimony.
I would like to pick up on what Mr. Oliphant said. I think all my colleagues here are trying to get a better understanding of what is happening on the ground. For your part, you are here to enlighten us on that, with the facts you know and the information you are given. We thank you.
I will address you first, Mr. Mirakian. I would like us to go back to a question put by Mr. Chong. Can you tell us what led you to state on your organization's website and in your opening remarks that the protesters blocking the Lachin corridor are being, so to speak, remote controlled by the government in Baku.
You told us a few moments ago that since demonstrations are, generally speaking, forbidden in that country, the fact that the government is allowing this demonstration in the Lachin corridor is in itself an indication that this is indeed being controlled from a distance by Baku.
Is this the only evidence that allows you to make such a claim?
Co-President, Armenian National Committee of Canada
I have it from reliable sources I trust, from people on the ground and people who have studied the issue more closely than I have, that this is the case. I should say that the European Union and the United States, when discussing the issue, have always said that these people were directed, so I believe that people who have intelligence on the ground, including western allies of Canada, have already come to this conclusion. For me to come to a different conclusion would mean that I didn't trust the intelligence of our allies.
Bloc
Stéphane Bergeron Bloc Montarville, QC
Thank you for your reply.
I would also like to come back to a question that was put to you by Mr. Oliphant. I understand that the way he phrased it may have offended you. I will rephrase it. I think I understand what Mr. Oliphant was trying to find out, and I hope I am not misinterpreting his intentions.
Other than the Lachin corridor, are there any functional roads connecting Nagorno-Karabakh to Azerbaijan?
Also, do these roads actually allow for the delivery of food and medicine, or are they also all closed?
Co-President, Armenian National Committee of Canada
As far as I am aware, there was a second road constructed between Armenia and the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. That road is now within the territory of Azerbaijan, and nothing travels along it.
The November 9, 2020, statement by Russia, Armenia and Azerbaijan assumed that the connection between Armenia proper and the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic would be along this road. This was the route that the three parties to that announcement decided would be the connection that would be used.
Bloc
Stéphane Bergeron Bloc Montarville, QC
Thank you for your extremely enlightening comments.
You have been the victim, so to speak, of a situation the French-speaking members of committees experience very frequently. Some witnesses tend to speak quickly, because they have a lot of relevant things to say in a short period of time, which makes the work of our valiant interpreters somewhat more complicated. I would, in fact, like to take this opportunity to commend their work.
I also wanted to have your written notes, because the last points you raised in your speech seemed to me to be extremely relevant and I thought it was a pity that we did not have access to them. This will not only allow Mr. Oliphant to have the whole of your presentation, it will also allow us to conclude on what you wanted to add.
Here is a very simple question for a political observer: why do you think Russia is not succeeding in reopening the corridor?
Researcher in political science, Lecturer at Sciences Po, École de l'Air, As an Individual
I would like to be sure that the question is addressed to me, because I did not hear the beginning of your comments, Mr. Bergeron.
Stéphane Bergeron Bloc Montarville, QC
That's a pity, because I was addressing you specifically.
I was saying that you had been a victim, so to speak, of something that we frequently experience, particularly the French-speaking members of committees, when witnesses have extremely relevant things to say in a very short space of time. They tend to speak quickly, which makes interpretation a bit difficult. Our interpreters do an excellent job...
Bloc
Stéphane Bergeron Bloc Montarville, QC
All right, but you will understand, Mr. Chair, that I was only repeating what I said at the beginning, because Ms. Papazian did not hear it. It's a technical problem. I appeal to your indulgence.
Liberal
The Chair Liberal Ali Ehsassi
Ms. Papazian, if you can, kindly respond in 30 seconds or less.
Thank you.
