ARTUR BAGHDASARIAN CALLS FOR DEVELOPING "SPIRIT OF SOCIAL SOLIDARITY" IN ARMENIA

Noyan Tapan
March 25, 2008

YEREVAN, MARCH 25, NOYAN TAPAN. Armenia should undertake deepening of
political and public dialogue not only with its neighbors, but also
inside the country. Artur Baghdasarian, the Chairman of the Orinats
Yerkir (Country of Law) party, stated at the March 25 conference under
the title Armenia Europe 2008 organized by the London Information
Network on Conflict and State Building (LINKS) and the European
Democratic Movement organization.

According to him, one should consider as an axiom the fact that
there is no room for violence in democratic processes, within the
framework of which the dialogue should be secured. On the other hand,
as the Secretary of the National Security Council emphasized, one
should understand that "hatred and radicalism accumulated for many
months without fail were to result in methods of problems’ solution,
which are far from being civilized." He pointed out to the necessity
to develop "the spirit of social solidarity" in Armenia, which will
give a possibility to resist both foreign and domestic challenges."

Artur Baghdasarian pointed out to the importance of Armenia’s further
integration to European structures. In his words, the agreement
on political coalition signed lately exactly mentions a number of
problems immediately connected with the further processes of Armenia’s
European integration, including: guaranteeing of freedom of expression,
deepening of democratic processes including involvement of civil
institutions in governing processes, protection of human rights,
deepening of pluralism, and others.

Dennis Sammut, the Executive Director of the London Information
Network on Conflict and State Building (LINKS) and the Co-reporter
of the Caucasian-Caspian Commission, stated that today no one in all
European structures has a doubt that Armenia is a European country
and Armenia’s place is in the European family of peoples. Mentioning
that he is not going to intervene in the domestic affairs of Armenia,
D. Sammut said that in many countries of Eastern Europe elections were
held, to the results of which the opposite side did not agree and
did not trust. As he characterized it, the events that happened in
the streets of Yerevan was a tragedy for the Armenian people, a big
challenge and ordeal for the country. Meanwhile, according to him,
any crisis creates a possibility for its solution. Such a solution,
in Sammut’s words, can be holding of a political dialogue between
various political forces of Armenia. According to him, the way to
Europe for Armenia presupposes deepening of regional cooperation and
economic development.