MAUD DE BOER-BUQUICCHIO: AUTHORITIES AND OPPOSITION OF ARMENIA ABLE TO ARRIVE AT AGREEMENT TO SET UP SPECIAL COMMITTEE TO INVESTIGATE 1 MARCH INCIDENTS

arminfo
2008-05-20 14:21:00

ArmInfo. The authorities and the opposition of Armenia are able to
arrive at an agreement to set up a special committee to investigate
1 March incidents, Council of Europe Deputy Secretary General Maud
de Boer-Buquicchio told ArmInfo when commenting on her meeting with
the first president of Armenia Levon Ter-Petrosyan on May 19 in
the evening.

She said that the role of the opposition is naturally to oppose
the actions by the government. Nevertheless, the opposition should
try to launch a constructive dialogue and make it possible to
engage to something which eventually leads to reconciliation. , she
said. Moreover, she stressed that they discussed the necessity of very
clear restoration of all the facts of 1 March incidents, the importance
of a special committee equally represented by both the government and
the opposition, as well as the possible contribution by international
community to this initiative through involvement of experts and civil
society. Maud de Boer-Buquicchio said she discussed this question also
with the power representatives and thinks a relevant agreement may be
achieved. She mentioned that establishment of the committee is among
the recommendations by PACE and its fulfillment is to be discussed
during June Session of PACE. That is why, she thinks, the authorities
must seriously think over the fulfillment of the given initiative.

To recall, debates on the recommendations by PACE Resolution 1609
on Democratic Institutions in Armenia are expected during the Summer
Session of PACE to be held 23-27 June. In particular, the resolution
says that negative assessment will lead to reduction of mandates and
deprivation of votes of Armenian delegates to PACE for a year.