KOCHARYAN MADE STATEMENT IN THE COE SUMMIT

A1plus

| 16:06:26 | 16-05-2005 | Politics | COE SUMMIT |

Robert Kocharyan was the 13th to make speech in the Warsaw summit
excluded the opening speeches. He spoke Russian. The speech started
at 12:20 instead of the 11:57. The previous speakers had violated
the time limit. Kocharyan spoke only for 6 minutes.

According to him, Armenia is on the way of integrating into
Europe. Till the end of the year Armenia will meet the commitments
taken upon in front of the COE. As he said, it is a hard but complete
process which is supported by the Armenian society. Robert Kocharyan
found the program “European Neighbors” extremely important.

According to him, in Armenia people believe in the concept of Europe
without borders – without violations, blockade, and refugees, where
human rights and freedom rights are respected. Referring to the BGK
conflict, Robert Kocharyan mentioned that in this context he already
sees the settlement of the conflict and ways are sought to include
the de-facto created Nagorno Karabakh Republic into the process of
integrating into Europe. According to Kocharyan, today Armenia makes
efforts for the Armenian Genocide the 90th anniversary of which was
celebrated this year to be recognized worldwide.

KOCHARYAN’S STATEMENT IN THE COE SUMMIT

Statement by H.E. Robert KOCHARY AN President of the Republic of
Armenia

III Summit of the Council of Europe 1 st session

Warsaw, May 16,2005

Dear Mr. Chairman, Ladies and Gentlemen:

First of all let me thank President Kwasniewski for the wonderful
organization of the summit. I am confident that this meeting of heads
of the Council of Europe member-states is extremely well-timed. Europe
is in the process of transformation and it creates an urgent need
for discussions and adequate measures aimed at reforming the European
structures and institutions.

Those changes are of fundamental character. “Eastern Europe”
and “Western Europe” are not any more political terms; they have
transformed themselves to regular geographic concepts. Meanwhile,
the word “Europe” is not anymore simply a geographical name of a
continent. It is a political term widely perceived as a unique model
of a community of nations. A European is perceived as a member ofthat
community.

In this framework the institutionalization of that process and the
psychological adaptation of the Europeans go hand in hand, most
probably due to the advancement of information technologies. And the
speed of that transformation is so high, that it easily fits within a
lifetime of one generation. I sometimes think that what this process
has its own logic and does not depend much on politicians.

All this offers questions which require consideration and
response. Namely:

Has the European integration geographical and cultural boundaries
and where are they?

How do the ED enlargement and further institutionalization affect the
demand for other organizations, including the Council of Europe? It
is becoming more and more apparent that for ED member-states our club
becomes less and less attractive.

What is the future of Europe’s relations with the rest of the world,
which has other suppositions and traditions?

Are the processes currently underway in Europe going to transform
into a new ideology with the consequences to follow in form of a
global divide?

Answers to these questions very much depend on the European leaders
sitting at this table.