PACE PRESIDENT: "CONSEQUENCES MIGHT BE DISASTROUS"

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24 July, 2008

Lluis Maria de Puig, President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the
Council of Europe, today announced that the PACE resolutions have
fixed time-limits for Armenia and if the September 4 and September
11 reports do not state any positive shift, consequences might be
"disastrous" for Armenia.

"I say it with pain that not everyone realizes gravity of the moment,"
said Lluis Maria de Puig at the meeting with the RA Ombudsman.

At the meeting the parties discussed the problems of 1 March detainees,
issues referring to the activity of the NA ad hoc commission, as
well as the process of implementing requirements of Resolutions 1620
and 1609.

Lluis Maria de Puig considers it unacceptable to persecute people for
their political views in EC countries. Besides he does not welcome
the NA ad hoc commission, saying it is not the best variant of
implementing the PACE resolution requirements and attaches importance
to the suggestion of EC Commissioner Thomas Hammarberg to carry out
a mission of fact gathering.