RA NA SPEAKER SENDS LETTER TO PACE MEMBER COUNTRIES’ PARLIAMENT SPEAKERS
Noyan Tapan
Jan 13, 2009
YEREVAN, JANUARY 13, NOYAN TAPAN. In late December 2008 RA NA Speaker
Hovik Abrahamian sent a letter to parliament speakers of PACE member
countries.
According to the RA NA Public Relations Department, the letter read:
"As you know, on December 17 PACE Monitoring Committee adopted a
draft resolution on Armenia, which will be submitted for discussion
during the PACE winter session, in 2009 January. The draft estimates
Armenia’s fulfillment process of Assembly’s former resolutions, N 1609
(2008) and 1620 (2008) on the March 1-2 tragic events.
The draft properly confirms the progress recorded by Armenia in the
issue of creation of a group of independent experts for investigating
the the March 1-2 events. The draft also confirms the efforts exerted
by the Armenian authorities for the purpose of initiating reforms in
various spheres, as it was required by the Assembly, in particular,
in spheres regarding media.
Nevertheless, the draft gave negative conclusions on the persons
imprisoned in connection with the above mentioned events. Such
conclusions, together with imprisoned persons’ political qualification
and proposed sanctions on depriving the Armenian delegation of the
vote in PACE are the most alarming for a number of reasons.
With the expectation of your favorable approach to problems we are
concerned with, we also attach a memorandum to this letter, which
will help you to form a better idea about the progress recorded in
the issues raised in the draft.
In addition to the main issues voiced in the attached document, I
would like to draw your attention to the extreme harmful essence of
the draft, which if being adoped will considerably damage domestic
stability in Armenia and by intervening in the judicial process will
fundamentally damage the integrity of state’s structures, which is
based on the principle of power separation.
It is no less important that the proposed sanction is exaggerated,
disproportionate and does not correspond to Assembly’s previous
conduct, including towards the other delegations of our region. It will
be a case of using dual standards and will contradict our collective
efforts aimed at promotion of cooperation and dialogue within the
framework of the Council of Europe and Assembly.
And lastly, the draft with its nature contains serious risks of
exerting pressure upon Armenia by some forces on the basic problems
regarding regional policy, which will not be tolerated, but will
considerably damage our indisputable resolution and efforts aimed
at strengthening peace and stability in the region. It will be an
additional and serious pressure upon country’s economy reducing foreign
investors’ confidence, which is especially unfair to a state being
in a blockade especially under conditions of the world economic crisis.
Thus, taking the opportunity, I ask for support of your country’s
delegation in PACE during further developments on the issue and votings
to be held in January. I would like to assure you that provision of
such a support will have no impact on Armenia’s readiness to completely
cooperate with the Council. Armenia is loyal to human rights principles
stipulated by our country’s constitutional right and the international
commitments we have assumed. Moreover, we are deeply convinced that
it is impossible to further record progress on the way of reforms
without a strong and developed judicial system. Nevertheless, we
do not agree that depriving our delegation in PACE of the vote will
improve the democratic condition in the country.
I sincerely trust your judgement and I am hopeful that our
considerations and the proposed revisions to the draft will receive
your complete assistance. I am at your disposal if additional
explanations are necessary, which can emerge around this issue.
The Republic of Armenia Foreign Ministry, as well as Armenia’s
delegation in PACE are always ready to provide additional information
or explanations to your delegation for preparing for the above
mentioned session.