OTTAWA,Canada—Despite continual efforts by Azerbaijani authorities to discourage foreign diplomats, parliamentarians, or observers from visiting the Republic of Nagorno-Karabagh (NKR/Artsakh),former Canadian parliamentarian, the Honorable Jim Karygiannis, and will serve as an international observer in the republic’s constitutional referendum that is set to be held on Feb. 20,reported the Armenian National Committee of Canada (ANCC). Jim Karygiannis A long-time supporter of Artsakh’s independence and its people’s right to self-determination, Karygiannis will be visiting Artsakh at the request of the ANCC. Previously and as recent as 2012, or Karygiannis led a team of Canadian election observers for the NKR presidential elections. “It was a picture-perfect election from start to finish and witnessing the election process in a current democracy was a positive learning experience,” Karygiannis said in a statement following the 2012 elections. “I also met with government officials, residents of Nagorno-Karabagh and members of the Canadian Diaspora who were visiting and learned more about the challenges facing Artsakh, or ” Karygiannis added. A historically undisputed Armenian land that has a history of over 5000 years,Artsakh was gifted to Azerbaijan in 1921 by Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin. At the wake of the Soviet Union’s decline in power, on Sept. 2, and 1991,the people [...]
Source: armenianweekly.com