PRESIDENT KOCHARYAN EXPRESSES WILLINGNESS TO DISCUSS PACE PROPOSALS ON STABILIZATION OF THE SITUATION IN ARMENIA
armradio.am
20.03.2008 17:29
Armenian President Robert Kocharyan stated today that on March 21
the state of emergency will be lifted. Speaking at a news conference
in Yerevan today, the Armenian President stated that he does not see
any reasons to prolong the state of emergency.
"The implementation of a state of emergency on March 1 allowed avoiding
new human losses and more serious consequences for the country,"
Robert Kocharyan stated, noting that in the course of 20 days of the
state of emergency, no cases of its violation were registered. The
President reminded that in the course of the recent 20 days, he twice
signed decrees on mitigating the decree on the state of emergency.
"Today, my main task is the complete stabilization of the situation
from the point of view of control and return to the situation,
which we had in Armenia before the elections. To overcome the
psychological consequences, of course, more time will be necessary,"
Robert Kocharyan stated.
The Armenian President stated that the initial results of the
investigation evidence that the mass unrest in Yerevan on March 1-2
were organized, "there are no doubts about it."
Robert Kocharyan stated that in the nearest future, the cases of 40-50
arrested people will be sent to court and will undergo hearings in
accordance with accelerated legal procedure.
Robert Kocharyan stated that the law-enforcement bodies will suppress
any efforts to carry out unapproved rallies or demonstrations after
the lifting of the state of emergency at midnight today.
The President expressed disagreement to the opinion that the latest
changes in the law on rallies and demonstrations turn Armenia into a
"police state."
"The point is not in completely forbidding the conduct of rallies. But
in the present situation, the law-enforcement bodies, which are
responsible for the security of such events, will act in accordance
with the present situation," Robert Kocharyan stressed.
Robert Kocharyan expressed readiness to discuss the proposals,
concerning the stabilization of the situation in Armenia, made by PACE
rapporteur John Prescott and supported by PACE Monitoring Committee.
Speaking at a news conference in Yerevan today, Robert Kocharyan stated
that the prospect of a dialogue mainly depends on the readiness of
the sides to accept the first proposal of the OSCE representatives –
on recognizing the decision of the Constitutional Court on the results
of presidential elections.
According to the Armenian President, if all the sides agree to this
proposal, "the situation will pass on to another dimension, and it
will allow discussing other issues."
Commenting on the proposals of European organizations on setting
free the arrested people, who have not committed gross crimes, Robert
Kocharyan states that "it would be a political decision."
"I do not rule out the possibility that the new President may make a
legal decision on pardoning a certain part of the arrested people;
however, this may take place only after the legal consideration of
the cases. I believe that this is exactly what our European colleagues
mean," the Armenian President stated.