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Speech Delivered By The RA NA President Hovik Abrahamyan At PACE Sta

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  • Speech Delivered By The RA NA President Hovik Abrahamyan At PACE Sta

    SPEECH DELIVERED BY THE RA NA PRESIDENT HOVIK ABRAHAMYAN AT PACE STANDING COMMITTEE MEETING

    http://www.parliament.am/news.php?cat_id=2&NewsID=5949&year=2013&month=05&d ay=31&lang=eng
    31.05.2013

    Dear Mr. President,

    Dear Mr. Minister of Foreign Affairs,

    Dear colleagues,

    Ladies and gentlemen,

    It is a great honor for me to welcome the participants of the
    Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) Standing
    Committee meeting in Yerevan. I hope that having PACE meetings in our
    capital, as part of Armenia's chairmanship in the Council of Europe
    Committee of Ministers will open a unique page in the history of
    relations between Armenia and the Council of Europe.

    The European direction of Armenia's foreign policy and the
    Euro-integration processes are a result of a conscious choice anchored
    on our common system of values, rich cultural and Christian heritage
    - a choice, that stems from our domestic agenda. Indeed, Armenia is
    a part of the European civilization, with its past as well as its
    present, and committed to strengthening of democracy, ensuring the
    rule of law and protection of fundamental freedoms and human rights.

    It is with this intention and understanding that Armenia joined the
    Council of Europe twelve years ago in 2001, thus reconfirming its
    historical and cultural belonging to the European system of values.

    Today, the Republic of Armenia, represented by the Ministry of
    Foreign Affairs, has assumed the chairmanship of the Council of Europe
    Committee of Ministers, for the first time since becoming a Council of
    Europe member. This is a significant event and a great responsibility
    for us.

    The Republic of Armenia assumes its chairmanship with an ambitious
    agenda, the key elements of which include addressing challenges facing
    the Council of Europe, such as intolerance, xenophobia and racism. We
    will take all possible measures, including inter-cultural dialogue,
    to overcome these challenges effectively during our chairmanship.

    The commitment to strengthening democracy and persistent protection of
    fundamental human rights and freedoms comes with a deep conviction and
    conscientious attitude of the Armenian authorities. This commitment
    is also the reason why the Republic of Armenia is ready to support
    the ambitious programme initiated by the Secretary General of the
    Council of Europe aimed at increasing the role and effectiveness of
    the Council of Europe.

    Dear attendees,

    The mankind has been fighting against intolerance, racism and
    xenophobia for centuries. However, as you can see, these problems still
    remain on the agenda. In this age of globalization with large-scale
    and sometimes even non-regulated movement of people, the cultural
    environment is becoming increasingly diverse, which brings forth new
    social and political challenges. In this regard, intolerance is one
    of the most serious challenges for Europe today. It is appropriate to
    remember the following words by Mahatma Gandhi: "Intolerance is itself
    a form of violence and an obstacle to the growth of a true democratic
    spirit." Intolerance breeds racism, xenophobia, discrimination and
    violence that end up with conflicts. In this context, the Council
    of Europe should play a more practical and targeted role by applying
    the whole range of the legal tools in its rich arsenal.

    I would like to put a special emphasis on the importance of the
    announcement of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of
    Armenia declaring the intercultural dialogue as a priority.

    Historically being at the crossroads of different cultures and
    civilizations and having a rich cultural heritage, Armenia has been
    in the center of mutual cultural influences for centuries long. All
    European countries have also been subjected to such influence. This
    has provided a unique opportunity to enrich each other's cultures,
    respect each other's traditions and, therefore, co-exist in peace,
    because respect for other cultures, religions and traditions lies in
    the basis of tolerance. Our primary and common goal is to strengthen
    the unity between different peoples and promote better understanding
    of their spiritual values.

    Dear colleagues,

    In conclusion, I would like to reiterate Armenia's commitment to
    its policy of integration with the European institutions. We have
    sufficient political will to move the process of reforms forward, to
    build a secure and democratic state. This is the choice of our people
    and our citizens. To achieve this goal, we reiterate our readiness
    to cooperate actively and effectively with the European institutions.

    Once again, I welcome you in Yerevan and wish you success in your
    endeavors.

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