POWER OF ARMENIAN DELEGATION TO PACE MAY BE SUSPENDED
ArmInfo
2008-12-17 21:19:00
ArmInfo. The power of the Armenian delegation to PACE may be
suspended. The document adopted at the Dec 17 sitting of the PACE
Monitoring Committee in Paris is direct evidence of this.
The most disputable article in the document is the 9th article
envisaging suspension of the power of the Armenian delegation to
PACE. But this article may remain on the paper if PACE Co-Rapporteurs
for Armenia John Prescott and Georges Colombier register progress
during their visit to Armenia before the winter session of PACE in
January 2009.
As the Public Television of Armenia reported, the Monitoring Committee
is mainly discontent with the so- called "case of the seven". To
recall, these persons are accused of the takeover attempt and mass
disorders. According to the co-rapporteurs, either this case should
have been stopped or these persons should be granted pardon. Before the
start of the meeting in Paris, the participants were familiarized with
the 60-page explanation of the Office of Prosecutor General of Armenia.
Meanwhile, the member of the Armenian delgeation Armen Rustamyan
said that the question was not about showing political will but about
speeding up the trial. The head of the delegation David Haroutyunyan
said that the trial was underway and one had no right to exert pressure
on it.
After the speeches of Armenian delegates, the committee decided to
send the co-rapporteurs to Armenia for examining the situation. After
the visit the report may undergo revision. In an interview to Public
Television of Armenia Georges Colombier said that Armenia had shown
significant progress in implementing resolutions 1609 and 1620 and
urged the Armenian authorities to take further steps to alleviate
tensions and to restore democracy.