THE WORST NEGOTIATION BETTER THAN A WAR
Lilit Poghosyan

Hayots Ashkhar Daily
Published on Aug 01, 2008
Armenia

Leader of the United Labor Party Gurgen Arsenyan expressed his
viewpoints regarding the foreign challenges, in the National Press
Club yesterday.

Surprising but a fact. The Council of Europe, which conditions the
"flourishing" anti-democratic process in Azerbaijan by Karabakh
conflict: "is serious about the obligations committed by Armenia. The
PACE Chairman directly warned that most probably we don’t picture
the consequences of the sanctions used by the Council of Europe
against Armenia.

I can explain it. And I also express my deep concern about the fact
that most probably sanctions will be used against Armenia, if we fail
to understand in what speed and productiveness must we implement the
obligations committed by Armenia.

Gurgen Arsenyan said he could understand the distrust of the radicals
against the NA Temporary Committee, but he doesn’t consider it
justified. "There is an old Roman principle: "I can understand, but
I can’t forgive". The distrust of the opposition is conditioned by
the fact that all the 8 members of the committee represent coalition,
those parties that ratified the decree about the state of emergency.

But I would like to remind you that besides having the right to
distrust towards the committee, it would have20been better for the
opposition to have active participation in the works of the committee."

In general: "There is no article in RA Criminal Code that envisages
persecutions for political standpoints. De jure we don’t have similar
article. But it is another issue that in any country that has chosen
the path of democracy and they are new in this path the ruling power
of this country feels temptation to use criminal articles against
their political rivals.

Armenia is not exclusion: "We are not from the moon. We used to be
part of the Soviet Union, with soviet mentality. How can we be the
best and the most progressive?

The question is to what extent can the authorities confront this
temptation.

We have a problem here. "It is not right to say that our country is
the symbol of democracy. It is another issue that we must try to be
like that.

We must try to bring to power those who will never use that tool
against their political rivals." The speaker said and added: "Vote
for United Labor Party and you will see how it works."

Touching upon the announcement made by Minsk Group co-Chairmen not to
make abrupt steps before the meeting between Armenian and Azerbaijani
Foreign Ministers, the leader of the United Labor Party said: "we
will never take abrupt steps." "Let’s see how the meeting will start
and end. We shouldn t hurry."

He says the fact is, the negotiations are still on and "the worst
negotiation is much better than the wars. Therefore it is very
necessary to speak, to be in touch, to discuss."

The efforts of the country’s President and the Foreign Minister are
not enough for this. "There should be a social dialogue, in order to
understand what we want, where have we insulted one another and how
can we develop our dialogue."