TERRY DAVIS SAID HE WAS MISUNDERSTOOD

HULIQ, NC
Nov 12 2007

Following his recent visit to Armenia, the Secretary General of the
Council of Europe, Terry Davis, said: "there can be no true democracy
without freedom of expression, and there can be no freedom without
expression journalist respects the professional and ethical standards
of their profession.

"The media coverage of my recent visit was very important,
but unfortunately it was not in the best possible manner on the
part of some. Of course, the Armenian journalists have the right
not to agree and criticize my opinions on issues such as that on
Nagorno-Karabakh, but I must protest against the deformation of my
words and misinterpretations.

It’s incredible and completely insane. Expressing my position with
regard to the territorial integrity of a member country of the Council
of Europe and, consequently, the legal status of Nagorno-Karabakh is
well known, not changed and clear.

The fact that I did not react with each election held in
Nagorno-Karabakh does not mean that I changed my position on their
lack of validity and legitimacy. The fact that I do not always react
to the march of homosexuals and lesbians does not mean that I changed
my ideas, well known and unchanged, and that such restrictions violate
the European Convention on Human Rights.

A periodic suggested that I had been offended not to have met President
Kocharian. That too is not true. I was informed in advance and had
fully understood the reasons why it was impossible to organize such
a meeting.

I am satisfied with the result of my visits to Armenia and frank
discussions I had with my interlocutors. We do not always agree but
what is important is that we are listening and that we respect the
opinions of everyone.