IN TIGRAN TOROSIAN’S WORDS, PACE CO-REPORTERS ON ARMENIA POSITIVELY ESTIMATED WORK DONE BY ARMENIA

Noyan Tapan News Agency
Oct 9 2006

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 9, NOYAN TAPAN. Discussions connected with three
reports directly concerning Armenia and the South Caucasus took place
at PACE standing committees, during PACE autumn session convened on
October 2-6 in Strasbourg. RA NA Speaker Tigran Torosian, head of
the Armenian delegation in PACE, said this at the October 9 press
conference, presenting some details.

In his words, among the discussed issues, only the report by deputy
representing Romania, Adrian Severin, on establishment of peace pact
in the South Caucasus has been brought to its final form. The draft
report consisting of draft resolution and proposals will be submitted
for PACE’s approval at one of the coming plenary sessions. The above
mentioned draft proposes convening an international conference and
starting a process with cooperation of the European Union and the
Council of Europe, within the framework of the EU New Neigborhood
Policy, the goal of which is to establish "a small EU model in
the South Caucasus," by the example of the Balkan countries. In
T.Torosian’s words, this time also representatives of Azerbaijan
complained repeating the "old song" that no regional cooperation,
peace and integration envisaged by a document is possible until the
Nagorno Karabakh problem is settled. The Azeris’ objection, in the
speaker’s words, did not have any impact.

As T.Torosian said, according to a preliminary agreement, it is
envisaged to discuss the report on the process of fulfilment of
commitments assumed by Armenia towards the Council of Europe at
the PACE 2007 January session. As the speaker estimated, "if the
activities go on the same way until late 2006, we will have rather a
good report in January." He mentioned that the co-reporters on Armenia,
who arrived in Yerevan lately, in all probability, will complete
the report in mid-November. During preliminary discussions at the
monitoring commission the co-reporters gave a positive estimation to
the process of RA legislation’s harmonization with the constitutional
amendments. They also expressed the hope that the work being done in
Armenia will contribute to holding of the forthcoming parliamentary
elections in correspondence with the international standards. Stepan
Demirchian, opposition representative, Ardarutiun (Justice) faction
head, noted that in the respect of improving the electoral process
it is too important for the persons having committed electoral
falsifications to be punished.

The other discussed incomplete report relates to the missing in the
South Caucasus. The reporter presents the impressions of his visit to
the South Caucasian region. In T.Torosian’s words, it was registered
that everything possible will be done for keeping the draft free from
political questions. Representatives of NGOs of Armenia, Azerbaijan,
Nagorno Karabakh also took part in the above mentioned discussion.