Wednesday, 23 July 2008
RA Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan met with PACE Chairman Luis Maria de Puig. The parties have referred to the implementation of those recommendations contained in PACE Resolution 1609 on the functioning of democratic institutions in Armenia and in the follow-up PACE Resolution 1620.
At the outset of the meeting, the PACE Chairman stressed that no one in the Council of Europe wishes to see Armenia found in a difficult situation. Thereby, like the Council of Europe Human Rights Commissioner, he has come to encourage and prop up the country ahead on the way to implementing the foregoing PACE resolutions and getting back to normalcy.
Luis Maria de Puig focused in particular on the need for exposing the whole truth about the March 1-2 events. In this context, he spoke of the ongoing activities of the National Assembly ad hoc commission and the recent proposal voiced by the Council of Europe Human Rights Commissioner concerning the establishment of an independent task force to that effect. He also touched upon a variety of issues relating to those oppositionists detained as a result of said events, the terms of reference of the National Radio and TV Regulatory Commission, the possibilities for ensuring full media freedom and broader powers for the opposition in the country.
With reference to PACE Resolution 1609, Luis Maria de Puig said to be pleased at the allowance made of the benchmarks set by the Council of Europe in amending the RA law on holding meetings, rallies, marches and demonstrations.
Regarding the problem of detained persons, the PACE Chairman noted that the Council of Europe cannot tolerate the availability of political prisoners in a member State: "This is unacceptable to the Council of Europe. I do not mean the ones having committed criminal offences. Distinction has to be made between the acts of violence and political activities. The authorities should set free those detained on political considerations rather than on criminal charges," Luis Maria de Puig has said.
Prime Minister Tigran Sargsyan thanked the PACE Chairman for his sincere desire to back Armenia and expressed conviction that the PACE mission will help solve many problems. He indicated that the authorities bear greater responsibility for these challenges and, well aware thereof, they have come up with a number of clear-cut initiatives. The Prime Minister mentioned in particular the broad-based cooperation framework established between the government, on the one hand, and civil society organizations and the opposition, on the other. In this context, he said to have sent open invitations to opposition representatives on different occasions for participation in the design of the new anti-corruption strategy and subsequent involvement in monitoring action. According to the Prime Minister, oppositionists are invited to attend government sessions and cabinet discussions held on issues of public concern. "We will not give up the initiative of bridging over the divide, and should the opposition take advantage of it, the situation will change in the country," the Prime Minister said.
Concerning those under probe, Tigran Sargsyan assured that here, too, the authorities are fully cognizant of the seriousness of the task. Every one in the government realizes that any political motivation whatsoever behind the trials is very dangerous to the country. Therefore, everything is being done to keep the process within the bounds of law.
The interlocutors have also referred to the settlement of the Karabakh conflict. The Prime Minister availed himself of the opportunity to express concern over the fact that at its June session the Council of Europe adopted a declaration stating that democratic development in Azerbaijan should go hand-in-hand with the restoration of its territorial integrity. Such a wording was assessed to be too dangerous by the RA Prime Minister who said it was in sharp contrast with basic European values and approaches and might undermine the ongoing peace process. Tigran Sargsyan pointed out that the principles of territorial integrity and self-determination are given an equal footing in international law, and saying that failure in the reinstatement of Azerbaijan
's territorial integrity would be an obstacle to democratic development in that country constitutes a backdrop from the PACE values.
