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Opposition MPs welcome fact-finding group to probe March riots

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  • Opposition MPs welcome fact-finding group to probe March riots

    Armenian Public TV
    Oct 24 2008


    Armenian opposition MPs welcome fact-finding group to probe March
    riots


    [Presenter] The country's ombudsman and political forces today
    welcomed the establishment of a fact-finding group under a decree of
    President Serzh Sargsyan with the purpose of helping the temporary
    parliamentary commission to study the 1 March [post-election
    disturbances] events. Even the opposition is content with the
    principle of its establishment and activity. In this regard a
    representative of the Heritage [parliamentary faction] noted that it
    could be a belated but necessary step.

    [Correspondent] The Heritage faction came to briefings today almost in
    full representation and each of them stressed that they would put
    forward their personal opinions. The assessment of the fact-finding
    group established under the president's decree was the following: the
    step was a necessary one and the format a balanced one.

    [A member of the Heritage faction, Stepan Safaryan, speaking at a
    briefing] It is a praiseworthy step, albeit a belated one.

    [A member of the Heritage faction , Armen Martirosyan, speaking at a
    briefing] I believe that the format is balanced: two people assigned
    by the government, two by the opposition and one by the ombudsman. I
    accept that a member [of the group] should by all means be an
    experienced person, which is also acceptable.

    [Correspondent] MPs from the Heritage faction said today they would
    start discussing issues of participation and representation. The
    fact-finding group will be established according to the model
    suggested both by the parliamentary opposition and the opposition not
    represented in the parliament. So, it is unlikely that there will be
    any bias, the Prosperous Armenia Party believes.

    [MP Naira Zohrabyan of the coalition Prosperous Armenia Party] I am
    sure that both the opposition not represented in the parliament and
    Heritage will take part in the work of the fact-finding group and
    therefore, I believe that the group will significantly help the work
    of our commission.

    [Correspondent] No format can instil absolute trust, but there will be
    much fewer critics, Samvel Nikoyan [the head of the parliamentary
    commission] believes. Heghine Bisharyan [of the coalition Orinats
    Yerkir (Law-Governed Country) Party] believes that balance has been
    maintained.

    [Heghine Bisharyan] Two people will represent all the coalition
    forces, and two people will represent the opposition - one will be a
    representative of the political force of [former President] Levon
    Ter-Petrosyan and the other from Heritage. Both will be representing
    the opposition, that is balance has been maintained here, and the
    ombudsman has the right to appoint one person. The most important
    thing is that they will be specialists, lawyers and not party members.

    [Correspondent] As a well-informed head of the faction, Heghine
    Bisharyan, denied Turkish media reports, which recently appeared in
    some local media as well, saying that Armenia had allegedly suggested
    in September that Turkey become a mediator in the Karabakh settlement.

    [Bisharyan] With regard to this information, I can say that Serzh
    Sargsyan simply did not say such a thing.

    [Correspondent ] Ara Nranyan from the Armenian Revolutionary
    Federation -Dashnaktsutyun advised people not to believe such
    propaganda reports. Our official position has been made public on many
    occasions. The settlement of [the Karabakh] issue is acceptable only
    in the format of the [OSCE] Minsk Group. The most important thing in
    this story is the reason this so-called discovery has been put into
    circulation, his colleague noted.

    [Artashes Shahbazyan of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation -
    Dashnaktsutyun] Are there some expectations and hopes that are
    failing? And this gives an opportunity for such phenomena. The
    mediated outflow of information via the Azerbaijani media gives us
    ground for special suspicions.


    [translated]
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