RAFFI HOVANNISIAN: NO ONE HAS A RIGHT TO RESORT TO PLOYS TO JUSTIFY NONOBSERVANCE OF DEMOCRATIC STANDARDS

ArmInfo
2008-06-24

In order the reports on Azerbaijan and Armenia not criticized in the
same way, it is necessary for Europe to have single rules and etalons
and apply them on a consistent basis, Raffi Hovannisian, a member of
the Armenian delegation to PACE, Leader of Heritage Party, said at
discussions on the Report ‘Functioning of Democratic Institutions in
Azerbaijan’ at PACE, ArmInfo correspondent to Strasbourg reports.

R. Hovannisian said the point is not the problem of Azerbaijan but
the image and mandate of the Parliamentary Assembly. ‘That is what
is set on stake.

All the countries represented may find many justifications in their
history and the present day situation to evade European democratic
standards.

However, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Turkey or any other country has no right
to resort to any justifications for not observing all the requirements
of democracy>, he said. He outlined various reasons such as territorial
integrity, tragic heritage of genocide, blockade. Nevertheless,
he said, all these circumstances must be isolated from the key
values of the Council of Europe. ‘Either everyone is allowed to
do everything and not to observe anything or no one is allowed to
resort to any ploys or justifications>, he said. R. Hovannisian said
the draft report contains obvious deviations from the truth. ‘I hope
that one day Azerbaijani and Turkish colleagues will stop speaking
of the urgency of the problem of refugees or others and will at last
say they share our pain>, Hovannisian said. He mentioned the 400,000
Armenian refugees. ‘Many Armenian populate areas are occupied and no
one speaks of that at any session. No one speaks of Nagorny Karabakh’s
aspiration to refuse from Stalin’s heritage and burst fetters of
colonization in legal way>, he said. As regards the part of the
report on 4 Armenian hostages in Nakhijevani that are accused of
espionage by the Azerbaijani authorities, R. Hovannisian mentioned
the CE initiative to sent a rapporteur to the Nakhijevani to get
first hand view of the state of cultural monuments. ‘In September
2005 armed people representing the Azerbaiajn authorities desecrated
a series of Armenian cultural monuments in Nakhijevani. Good Will
Ambassador was not allowed to visit the region. This problem refers
not only Armenia and Azerbaiajn but also the integrity and image of
the CE and the image of its rapporteur., Hovannisian said.