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Head of Israel-Azerbaijan parliamentary friendship group: â€œI consider Knesset will not adopt a resolution on so-called â€œArmenian genocideâ€ â€“ EXCLUSIVE

29 April 2010 15:01 (UTC +04:00)

He said they asked the parliament to remove the issue from agenda, but they were rejected. â€œThe issue was raised at the parliament and sent to the committee several months ago, but it was not discussed so far. It is rare case at the Israeli parliament. Usually we donâ€™t discuss the issues concerning two conflicted sides. Our faction will save its position not to interfere in the problems between Turkey and Armeniaâ€. The parliamentarian said that the committee didnâ€™t review such documents usually.

Ilatov said the committee had not enough authority to investigate such issues. â€œTherefore I consider that the plenary session will not pass decision on thatâ€. He added that there are discords on whether to hold discussions behind the closed doors or not. The Knessetâ€™s standing orders committee will make decision on this issue.
Answering the question of the journalist, Ilatov said Israeli government had an experience to make recommendations to the parliament and every ministry, including foreign or defense ministries can be recommended not to interfere in the conflict.

As regards the possibility that Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman may give such a recommendation, Ilatiov underlined that he did not doubt it.
â€œOur position is very clear. Six of the eight parliamentarians, who yesterday voted against the decision, are the members of Israel - Our Home, the party led by Lieberman. As I said yesterday, we are not the Committee on Human Rights, or UN, we do not have any tool to check the correctness of the facts, this is the problem of the two sides, they should solve it themselves. We should interfere in this conflict. We will express similar position in the committee for foreign affairs and security,â€ he said.

Commenting on the fact that there were Arabians among those who voted for the decision, Ilatov said 10 out of 120 members of the Knesset are Arabians. He added that Arabian parliamentarians vote for all decisions that are against Turkey.
12 members of the Knesset voted for, 8 against the inclusion of the so-called Armenian genocide into the parliamentâ€™s agenda. There are Arabian parliamentarians among those who voted for the inclusion the issue into the agenda.