ACCORDING TO EDWARD SHARMAZANOV, PACE’S DECISION CONDITIONED BY RECENT REFORMS OF ARMENIAN AUTHORITIES
Noyan Tapan
Jan 28, 2009
YEREVAN, JANUARY 28, NOYAN TAPAN. One of the most important provisions
of Resolution 1643 passed by the PACE on January 27 refers to not
depriving Armenia of its voting right, spokesman for the Republican
Party of Armenia (RPA) Edward Sharmazanov said on January 28. According
to him, another important peculiarity of this resolution is that the
term "political prisoner" is absent in its text, and this circumstance
is conditioned by the recent reforms made by Armenian authorities,
in particular, president Serzh Sargsyan. However, in the words of
E. Sharmazanov, the absence of political prisoners does not mean
that there are no problems in the country. "Some problems do exist,
we have some work to do not only by April – the end of the period
established by PACE, but also within 4 years," (NT: until the end of
the president’s term of office) – RPA’s representative noted.
As regards some oppositionists’ claims that Armenian authorities either
have made a deal with European structures in return for Armenia’s
not being deprived of voting rights or have managed to deceive them
in some way or another, E. Sharmazanov said that these claims do not
correspond to the reality. "It is incomprehensible to me that various
opposition figures had different approaches to the use of sanctions
against Armenia," he said.
However, in his words, even by sending special envoys to the Council
of Europe, the opposition has failed to achieve success: the Armenian
delegation has not been deprived of voting rights.
Speaking about the trial on "the case of the seven", E. Sharmazanov
said that the trial has not finished yet so he cannot make any
judgement.
According to him, only after the trial it will become clear whether
the accused persons are political prisoners or not.