Tigran Torosian Is Content With Implementation Process Of Armenia’s

TIGRAN TOROSIAN IS CONTENT WITH IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS OF AREMENIA’S COMMITMENTS TO COUNCIL OF EUROPE
By Nana Petrosian

AZG Armenian Daily
23/06/2006

Tigran Torosian, Speaker of RA National Assembly, expressed
satisfaction with Armenia’s implementation of commitments to Council
of Europe, in the course of today’s press conference. In June 2007,
the issue of bringing in line the Armenian legislation with the
constitutional amendments will be discussed in the course of the
winter session of the PACE. He said that the report on Armenia’s
implementation of commitments to CE will be included in the PACE agenda
in October 2007. Besides, according to him, 4-5 important reports on
Armenia and NKR will be discussed at PACE. As for the activities of
the Armenian delegations at the international parliamentary instances,
Torosian touched upon the resignation of Mher Shahgeldian from the post
of head of the Armenian delegation to NATO PA. He said that in early
June he suggested Shahgeldian to continue his activities at NATO PA.

But, yesterday he learnt from the newspapers about his decision to
resign. He admitted that the withdrawal of "Orinats Yerkir" party to
opposition might make Shahgeldian’s activities more complicated. At
the same time, Torosian said that it’s quite groundless to state that
his refusal to send him to USA to the sitting of one of the NATO PA
commissions. Torosian said that he merely wanted to send to "Rose Roth"
NATO seminar in Sochi, where the Nagorno Karabakh conflict was to be
discussed. Shahgeldian came and stated about his resignation from
his post and refused to go to Sochi, the day before the seminar,"
Torosian said.

Besides, he said that the issue of stopping the plenipotentiaries
of the Azeri delegation to PACE will be discussed in the course of
the June session of PACE. He stated that simultaneously with PACE
June session, the sitting of the PACE Special Commission on Nagorno
Karabakh will be held. He said that it is envisaged that suggestion
of Lord Russell Johnston will be discussed during the session. Lord
Johnston suggested organizing the meeting of the commission members
to the region. Torosian also said that PACE Bureau decided to change
the format of the special commission. According to the given decision,
two members each will represent the Armenian and the Azeri delegations
to PACE in the commission. The monitoring reporters for both countries
will also be included in the commission. As for the scandal that
happened during the visit of Garegin II, Catholicos of All Armenians,
to Turkey, revealed the true face of the Turkish people, as Turkey
is far from European values and culture. He emphasized that Turkish
PM Erdoghan should hold speech at CE PACE on issues of freedom of
belief in the course of the coming session. "I wonder, what he will
say and how he will explain the incident that happened during the
visit of the Catholicos," he said. At the same time, Torosian added
that he knows how the Turkish people can get rid of the complexes
they suffer of. He said that the Turks should only reconsider their
positions in many issues, including the issue of the Armenian Genocide.

As for the accusations of Vahid Erzem, member of the Turkish delegation
to NATO PA, who said that during his recent visit to Armenia he was
given neither a car, nor guards, Torosian said that only high ranked
guests are provided with car and guards in Armenia.