HUMAN RIGHTS IMPROVEMENT EXPECTED IN ARMENIA – CZECH MINISTER

Czech Happenings
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Feb 18 2009
Czech Republic

Prague – Czech diplomacy and the European Union will continue to
support the improvement of human rights and civic dialogue in Armenia,
Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg said after talks with his
Armenian counterpart Edvard Nalbandian in Prague today.

Nalbandian stated that Yerevan intended to continue reforms in the
judiciary and other areas of public life.

Last March, Armenian police detained opposition activists who were
accused of provoking unrest in the country.

A series of mass protests were held in Armenia in the wake of the
Armenian presidential elections of February 19, 2008. Supporters of
unsuccessful presidential candidate Levon Ter-Petrossian demanded
that the results of the elections in which Serge Sargsyan was elected
president were reconsidered.

Armenia is one of the six post-Soviet republics the EU has selected
as members of its Eastern Partnership programme.

The establishment of the programme is one of the priorities of the
Czech six-month EU presidency. Apart from Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus,
Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine are members of the Eastern Partnership.

Schwarzenberg said the EU would approach each country individually
within the programme.

The Czech Republic wants to officially launch the Eastern Partnership
programme at a EU summit in Prague on May 7.

Schwarzenberg did not say specifically what Armenia could expect from
the EU.

Nalbandian said Armenia expected the facilitating of the regimes of
visas and trade for its citizens.

"At present we are discussing with the European Commission, Armenia and
the Czech EU presidency the forms of this cooperation," Schwarzenberg
said.

By establishing the Eastern Partnership the EU wants to send its
participants a signal that it is interested in wider cooperation with
them and intends to support these countries in all areas.

In the case of Armenia, Prague puts an emphasis on human
rights. Schwarzenberg said the Armenian authorities should change
their treatment of political prisoners.

Nalbandian argued that there were no political prisoners in Armenia.

Czech diplomacy voiced its concern during last March’s unrest in
Armenia.

"We believe that expressing views on the government policy is an
inseparable part of the democratic development," the Czech Foreign
Ministry then said in a statement.

"Discussions on the future orientation of the country should be held
within the law and political dialogue. Using force and violence against
peaceful demonstrators is absolutely unacceptable," the statement said.