PRESIDENT SARGSYAN MET WITH COE COMMISSIONER THOMAS HAMMARBERG

armradio.am
16.07.2008 11:11

President Serzh Sargsyan received the Commissioner for Human Rights
of the Council of Europe, Thomas Hammarberg, President’s Press Office
reported.

The President of Armenia said that the authorities have scrupulously
studied Resolutions 1609 and 1620 and are determined to implement
them. He welcomed the efforts exerted by the Commissioner for Human
Rights towards the resolution of the problems encountered by Armenia.

Assessing both Resolutions as an important starting point, Thomas
Hammarberg spoke about the evaluation report presented by him on
September 11 at the meeting of the Monitoring Commission, and stressed
three important issues.

The first issue raised by Mr. Hammarberg concerned the meetings,
rallies, and demonstrations. In this regard the Commissioner for Human
Rights praised cooperation with the Venice Commission, introduced
legislative amendments and highlighted the importance of the proper
implementation of the law.

The second issues is related to the investigation of the March
1 events, which, according to the Commissioner for Human Rights,
should be independent, transparent, and truthful. He offered to
make a distinct separation between the fact-finding process and the
assessment of the facts.

Underlining the resoluteness of the Armenian authorities to conduct
the investigation of the March 1 events objectively, comprehensively
and impartially, President Sargsyan agreed with the importance of
separating the process of fact finding and the assessment of the
facts and as an essential condition for conducting a thorough job
mentioned the necessity of involving international experts.

The third issue raised by the Commissioner for Human Rights concerned
the currently detained persons. With this regard the President
of Armenia reiterated that in his opinion the charges by the law
enforcements bodies should be pressed only against those individuals
who took part in the acts of violence.