PACE OBSERVER MISSION IN GENERAL AGREES WITH INTERIM REPORT PUBLISHED
BY OSCE/ODIHR

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 1, NOYAN TAPAN. The 30 members of the PACE interim
commission on observation of the presidential elections will arrive in
Armenia on February 17. The observer mission’s preliminary report on
elections will be published in Yerevan on February 20, while the final
report will be presented to the PACE for discussion two months after
the vote. The head of the interim observer commission, PACE deputy John
Prescott (UK) announced this at the January 31 press conference at the
RA National Assembly. He added that if the preliminary conclusion to be
published in Yerevan is the same as those of the other observer
missions, including of the OSCE/ODIHR, in this case it would be
expedient not to repeat the same and present a conclusion only once –
at a joint press conference.

The 3-member delegation headed by John Prescott conducted preliminary
observation in Yerevan on January 29-31 with the aim of evaluating the
current political atmosphere in the country and the preparation for the
elections. The delegation had numerous meetings, including meetings
with the Armenian leadership, the chhairman of the RA Central Electoral
Commission, candidates for the RA presidency, NGOs and journalistic
organizations.

J. Prescott stated that they in general agree with the first interim
report on the upcoming presidential elections in the RA published by
OSCE/ODIHR the day before. He said that they take the view that the
holding of truly democratic elections and the legitimacy of their
results depend on the high level of public confidence in the electoral
process. So the delegation recommends that the Armenian authorities
should take all necessary messures to ensure public confidence in
electoral process.

By the way, among the delegation members was Lord Russel Johnston, the
head of the PACE interim commission on Nagorno Karabakh problem. In
response to reporters’ question, he said that he is in Armenia as
observer, while after the presidential elections he will arrive as the
commission chairman in order to meet with the new Armenian president.
Prior to arriving in Armenia, he visited Azerbaijan and met with the
country’s president.