ACCORDING TO LUIS MARIA DE PUIG, IN CASE PACE RESOLUTIONS ARE NOT FULFILLED, SANCTIONS WILL BE IMMEDIATELY USED TO ARMENIA

NOYAN TAPAN

JU LY 25

Unless Armenia fulfils the requirements of
PACE Resolutions N 1609 and 1620, a scandalous situation will be
created: "sanctions will be immediately used" to Armenia as a result of
discussions to take place during the PACE autumn session. PACE Chairman
Luis Maria de Puig stated in his interview to Radio Liberty. He said
that he has spoken about it during his meetings with the Armenian
authorities.

Answering the question of whether it means that the issue can be raised
already at the PACE October session, he said that "it will depend on
Monitoring Commission’s decision." And L. M. de Puig opposed to the
obvervation that little time remains until September 11, the day of
PACE Monitoring Commission sitting, by saying that Armenia had time
still from March and the decision to give additional time to Armenia
made at the June session was "just an exception."

"Armenia cannot wait until January, moreover, it is possible that a
decision will have been already made by January," the PACE Chairman
stated. According to him, during the meetings with the Armenian
authorities he has also touched upon the problem of constantly not
authorizing opposition rallies.

He affirmed that both the law and the practice of its use are bad. "I
demanded that this practice be changed," L. M. de Puig said.