SERGE SARGSIAN: DETAILED EXAMINATION IS NECESSARY IN ORDER TO GRANT AMNESTY
Noyan Tapan
March 19, 2008
YEREVAN, MARCH 19, NOYAN TAPAN. "A detailed examination is necessary in
order to grant an amnesty, and if after the examination I come to the
conclusion that there is such a necessity, there will be an amnesty,
if there is no such necessity, no amnesty will be announced," the RA
prime minister, president elect Serge Sarsgian stated at the March
19 sitting in the RA National Assembly when responding to "Heritage"
faction member Zaruhi Postanjian’s question about whether S. Sargsian
is going "to apply to the National Assembly with a proposal on amnesty
during the first days of assuming the post of Armenian president.
S. Sargsian also said that he is not going to take steps which
will be "purely political ones, or steps to be appreciated by the
public." "All my steps will be aimed at developing the country rather
than at forming an opinion about it," the prime minister said.
In response to the question about whether he as the country’s president
intends to grant a pardon to the convicts Zhirayr Sefilian, Vardan
Malkhasian and Arman Babajanian whom the US State Department "has
recognized as political prisoners", S. Sargsian replied: "As of today,
I do not know any political prisoners in Armenia, and if the highest
instance (for you) recognizes, it is your problem."
When answering the question about inviting international experts to
conduct an independent inquiry into the March 1-2 events, S. Sargsain
said that "a visit of international experts to Armenia or creation of
an international commission is a procedure envisaged by the Charter
of the United Nations, and when you familiarize yourself with this
procedure, we will see if this is expedient or not." When Z. Postanjian
(a lawyer by profession) claimed that it is not only the UN that
may deal with such issues, and there are other procedures they will
make use of, S. Sargsian replied: "If you are going to apply, then
there is no need for me to apply. You are the highest body. Apply,
and your wish will be fulfilled."