Armenpress News Agency , Armenia
June 9, 2017 Friday


Armenia's ruling party official raises Azerbaijan's destructive policy
issue in EPP Political Assembly



YEREVAN, JUNE 9, ARMENPRESS. Armenia attaches importance to the
signing of the new comprehensive and expanded partnership agreement
with the European Union, assuring that it will continue its reforms in
the political and human rights arenas, Armen Ashotyan – vice president
of Armenia’s Republican Party said at the Political Assembly of the
European People’s Party (EPP).

“We fully realize that reforms will contribute to Armenia’s progress
towards a large-scale democracy and will enable to maximally benefit
from positive changes”, Ashotyan said.

He touched upon the closure of the OSCE Yerevan Office – as result of
Azerbaijan’s veto – mentioning that although Armenia and OSCE will
continue further constructive cooperation, this occurrence is yet
another proof of Azerbaijan’s destructive policy.

As a new example of Azerbaijan’s human rights violations, Ashotyan
mentioned the kidnapping of an Azerbaijani journalist from Tbilisi to
Baku, where he has been arrested and is awaiting criminal punishment.

“I would also like to emphasize the role and significance of the OSCE
Minsk Group – as the only effective tool of maintaining stability and
settlement of the conflict. In this context, I would like to
underscore that for the first time the OSCE MG Co-Chairs made a
targeted statement on May 18 in the Nagorno Karabakh conflict
settlement negotiation process – regarding the escalation in the line
of contact during May 15-17”, Ashotyan said.