COUNCIL OF EUROPE COMMISSIONER HOPES ARMENIAN NEW LEADERSHIP WILL CONTINUE REFORMS

ARMENPRESS
April 4, 2008

YEREVAN, APRIL 4, ARMENPRESS: On April 3 Council of Europe Human
Rights Commissioner Thomas Hammarberg sent a letter to Armenian
president Robert Kocharian.

The letter, particularly, says: "A number of meetings which I had
during my March 12-14 visit to Armenia gave me an opportunity for a
better understanding of circumstances behind the March 1-2 events in
Yerevan and of future actions.

I will have them in consideration when reporting to the Council
of Europe Committee of Ministers. You have always been open for
a constructive dialogue with this institution and I would like to
express my appreciation of it.

Since you have terminated your second term in office and are handing
presidency to the president-elect Serzh Sarkisian I would like to
acknowledge the substantial amount of reforms carried out by Armenia
under your leadership and reflected in my recent report. I know
that some of those reforms were highly sensitive and difficult and I
would like to pay tribute to your dedication and political courage,
for making them happen.

I am confident that your successor will continue the reform efforts
and take my recommendations into consideration while addressing a
number of issues highlighted in the same report, in respect of which
more work remains to be done," says the letter.