ARMENIAN DELEGATES MAKE A PROMISE
Support A1+!“The European Council should not have integrated Armenia until the latter held at least one legitimate election”, declared Hungarian MP Mattias Yorshi at the PACE discussion “The Functioning of Democratic Institutions in Armenia”. He recalled that back in 2001 when all the PACE members voted in favour of Armenia’s integration into the EC, only MP David Atkinson and he abstained. “If we are really eager to help Armenia we must tell the truth. You cannot have a legitimate state if the elections are falsified. I am sorry for my pessimistic views”, added Mr. Yorshi.
Norwegian MP Bern Yakobsen noticed: “The elections in Armenia were free but not legitimate.”
Out of 6 Armenian delegates only 4 spoke at the PACE sitting today.
“We are in crisis for confidence”, declared Leader of “Heritage” Party Raffi Hovhannissian. He made rather a sharp speech criticizing political persecution, violence, and limitation of rallies in Armenia. Hovhannissian also stated the necessity to carry out a fair investigation of March 1 events.
Leader of Armenian Delegation Davit Harutyunian assured PACE delegates that Armenia realizes the importance of changes and is willing to make improvements.
Avet Adonts, head of the NA Standing Committee on European Integration, announced: “Armenia has kept to the main EC principles. Even if we have displayed unconsciousness we have not diverged from the main track.” “Only tyrants are perfect”, Adonts concluded.
Another delegate Armen Rustamian declared Armenia’s willingness to solve current problems and condemned Azerbaijan’s critical attitude towards Armenia. By the way, before Rustamian Azerbaijani MP Hajieva had accused Armenia of opening illegal polling stations in Nagorno Karabakh, “occupied areas”.
Leader of Azerbaijani delegation Samad Seidov, who spoke after the Armenian delegates, was more reserved. He expressed hope that Armenia would solve its problems since the country is of great importance to the South Caucasus.
Karine Asatrian
Strasbourg
