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BRITISH EMBASSY RETALIATES TO ARMENIAN NEWSPAPER REPORT
ARMENPRESS
Apr 26 2007
YEREVAN, APRIL 26, ARMENPRESS: The British Embassy in Yerevan has
retaliated today to a report in the local Russian-language 'Golos
Armenii' newspaper, which claimed it disclosed the purported details
of a 'confidential' meeting of a former parliament chairman Arthur
Baghdasarian, head of the opposition Orinats Yerkir party, with a
British diplomat (it emerged today that it was deputy ambassador
Richard Hyde) that focused on Armenia's upcoming parliamentary
elections.
The newspaper published what it said were excerpts from a secretly
recorded conversation of Baghdasarian with Richard Hyde in Yerevan
during a dinner in a Yerevan restaurant last February. 'Golos Armenii'
said the conversation was recorded on a compact disk sent to it by
unknown individuals In one of these excerpts ex-parliament speaker
was quoted as urging the European Union to criticize the Armenian
authorities' handling of the May 12 vote.
Baghdasarian retaliated in a written statement saying the report was
part of a "well-engineered smear campaign" launched against his party
by the Armenian authorities.
A statement released today by the British Embassy in Yerevan said the
British Embassy 'is dismayed that a clandestine recording has been
made, and recently released in part to the press, of a conversation
between an official of this Embassy and the leader of an opposition
party."
"We do not propose to comment in detail on the gross misrepresentation
of a conversation, details of which appear to have been obtained
through dishonest and deplorable means."
The Embassy statement said that 'along with the OSCE, European Union,
Council of Europe, the diplomatic community and others, the Embassy is
interested in seeing elections on 12 May that conform to international
standards. In this context the Embassy maintains a wide range of
contacts and dialogues with institutions and individuals across the
political spectrum in Armenia, in order to be informed of all shades of
political opinion. This enables us to form as complete and objective
a view as possible of the political process, and is in line with the
normal and accepted practice of any embassy anywhere in the world."
"As a member state of the EU, we wholeheartedly support the commitment
shared by the EU and Armenia in the European Neighborhood Policy
Action Plan to work together to strengthen democratic institutions,
and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and we welcome
Armenia's democratic achievements so far.
In that context, our objective will remain to do what we can to
support and promote effectiveness in the performance of democratic
institutions and processes in the country. It is not, never has been
and cannot be, our business to support the political platform of any
specific political party."
ARMENPRESS
Apr 26 2007
YEREVAN, APRIL 26, ARMENPRESS: The British Embassy in Yerevan has
retaliated today to a report in the local Russian-language 'Golos
Armenii' newspaper, which claimed it disclosed the purported details
of a 'confidential' meeting of a former parliament chairman Arthur
Baghdasarian, head of the opposition Orinats Yerkir party, with a
British diplomat (it emerged today that it was deputy ambassador
Richard Hyde) that focused on Armenia's upcoming parliamentary
elections.
The newspaper published what it said were excerpts from a secretly
recorded conversation of Baghdasarian with Richard Hyde in Yerevan
during a dinner in a Yerevan restaurant last February. 'Golos Armenii'
said the conversation was recorded on a compact disk sent to it by
unknown individuals In one of these excerpts ex-parliament speaker
was quoted as urging the European Union to criticize the Armenian
authorities' handling of the May 12 vote.
Baghdasarian retaliated in a written statement saying the report was
part of a "well-engineered smear campaign" launched against his party
by the Armenian authorities.
A statement released today by the British Embassy in Yerevan said the
British Embassy 'is dismayed that a clandestine recording has been
made, and recently released in part to the press, of a conversation
between an official of this Embassy and the leader of an opposition
party."
"We do not propose to comment in detail on the gross misrepresentation
of a conversation, details of which appear to have been obtained
through dishonest and deplorable means."
The Embassy statement said that 'along with the OSCE, European Union,
Council of Europe, the diplomatic community and others, the Embassy is
interested in seeing elections on 12 May that conform to international
standards. In this context the Embassy maintains a wide range of
contacts and dialogues with institutions and individuals across the
political spectrum in Armenia, in order to be informed of all shades of
political opinion. This enables us to form as complete and objective
a view as possible of the political process, and is in line with the
normal and accepted practice of any embassy anywhere in the world."
"As a member state of the EU, we wholeheartedly support the commitment
shared by the EU and Armenia in the European Neighborhood Policy
Action Plan to work together to strengthen democratic institutions,
and respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and we welcome
Armenia's democratic achievements so far.
In that context, our objective will remain to do what we can to
support and promote effectiveness in the performance of democratic
institutions and processes in the country. It is not, never has been
and cannot be, our business to support the political platform of any
specific political party."