WE MUST NOT YIELD TO SOME CONDITIONS AT EXPENSE OF COUNTRY’S SECURITY, GALUST SAHAKIAN SAYS

Noyan Tapan

Jan 15, 2009

YEREVAN, JANUARY 15, NOYAN TAPAN. "To say that not only the Council
of Europe but the European structures treat Armenia badly and that
we take no interest in that is a false approach," the head of the
"RPA" parliamentary faction, deputy chairman of the Republican Party
of Armenia (RPA) Galust Sahakian said at the "De-Facto Law" Club on
January 15, noting that the authorities are doing everything possible
to strengthen Armenia’s place and position in international structures.

"Of course, we would like the PACE not to apply sanctions against
our delegation. We must not yield to some conditions at the expense
of the country’s security," he said. As regards the PACE Monitoring
Committee’s December decision that approves the draft resolution
on Armenia, G. Sahakian noted that he has a higher opinion about
the PACE so he is not sure that the PACE will adopt the preliminary
version of the draft which, in particular, proposes suspending the
Armenian delegation’s voting right in the PACE. In the opinion of
G. Sahakian, the main requirements of the resolutions have been
completely implemented. "It is another matter that we have serious
problems related to the presidential election and in general, some
problems which we as a sovereign state must solve," G. Sahakian
said. He expressed an opinion that there is democracy in Armenia but
it is "quite far from being perfect".

G. Sahakian commented on the severe criticism that the member of RPA
board Rafik Petrosian recently levelled at the head of the Armenian
delegation in PACE David Harutyunian. G. Sahakian called it "a sad
and unpleasant story".

In his words, the issue of replacing the delegation head is neither
on the agenda of RPA nor is expected to be put on the agenda.

In response to a question of NT correspondent, G. Sahakian stated that
no meeting of the PACE Monitoring Committee’s co-rapporteurs who are
on a visit to Yerevan with the members of their faction is scheduled,
and that he is not interested in such a meeting.