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PACE MONITORING COMMITTEE DISCUSSED THE ISSUE ON ARMENIA
Shakeh Avoyan
"Radiolur
28.04.2009 12:05
Strasbourg
Yesterday the Monitoring Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of
the Council of Europe discussed the issue on Armenia. Head of the
Armenian delegation David Harutyunyan, and member of the delegation,
representative of the "Heritage" faction Zaruhi Postanjyan made
speeches at the sitting. They presented two completely different
situations. David Harutyunyan spoke about the reforms and achievements,
while Zaruhi Postanjyan indicated the lack of progress.
The co-rapporteurs on Armenia, however, supported the first version,
a fact that dissatisfied Zaruhi Postanjyan. She said the assessment
of the co-rapporteurs was not adequate.
"I think several very important steps have been taken. First of all
it was the amendment of the Article 300 of the Armenian Criminal
Code, as a result of which all the charges under the article were
lifted. Charges under Article 225.3 were also lifted, i.e. the
amendments to those articles obviously had an influence. I would not
like to speak about the amount of influence, but I think that the
refusal from such important charges was already a serious positive
step," David Harutyunyan told "Radiolur."
Zaruhi Postanjyan was obviously disappointed with the discussion. "I
think that we should not rely upon the Council of Europe. We should
build democracy in our country ourselves, because lack of democracy
can be seen here, as well," she told reporters after the sitting.
The Monitoring Committee seems to have given no clear answer whether
the question on Armenia will be discussed during the June session of
the Parliamentary Assembly. However, member of the Armenian delegation
Avet Adonts considers that the issue will be discussed during the
plenary sitting of PACE in June.
Shakeh Avoyan
"Radiolur
28.04.2009 12:05
Strasbourg
Yesterday the Monitoring Committee of the Parliamentary Assembly of
the Council of Europe discussed the issue on Armenia. Head of the
Armenian delegation David Harutyunyan, and member of the delegation,
representative of the "Heritage" faction Zaruhi Postanjyan made
speeches at the sitting. They presented two completely different
situations. David Harutyunyan spoke about the reforms and achievements,
while Zaruhi Postanjyan indicated the lack of progress.
The co-rapporteurs on Armenia, however, supported the first version,
a fact that dissatisfied Zaruhi Postanjyan. She said the assessment
of the co-rapporteurs was not adequate.
"I think several very important steps have been taken. First of all
it was the amendment of the Article 300 of the Armenian Criminal
Code, as a result of which all the charges under the article were
lifted. Charges under Article 225.3 were also lifted, i.e. the
amendments to those articles obviously had an influence. I would not
like to speak about the amount of influence, but I think that the
refusal from such important charges was already a serious positive
step," David Harutyunyan told "Radiolur."
Zaruhi Postanjyan was obviously disappointed with the discussion. "I
think that we should not rely upon the Council of Europe. We should
build democracy in our country ourselves, because lack of democracy
can be seen here, as well," she told reporters after the sitting.
The Monitoring Committee seems to have given no clear answer whether
the question on Armenia will be discussed during the June session of
the Parliamentary Assembly. However, member of the Armenian delegation
Avet Adonts considers that the issue will be discussed during the
plenary sitting of PACE in June.