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PRESCOTT TO LEAD HUMAN RIGHTS VISIT TO ARMENIA
Press Association Newsfile
March 5, 2008 Wednesday 10:25 AM BST
John Prescott is heading a European human rights delegation to Armenia
to help defuse the country's growing political crisis.
The two-day trip begins tomorrow at the request of the president of the
Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly, which Mr Prescott joined
last October as leader of the UK contingent of 18 Westminster MPs.
Mr Prescott will "assess the post-electoral situation" in Armenia and
"explore possibilities for defusing the current political crisis and
promoting dialogue", said a Council of Europe statement.
The former deputy Labour leader, who is giving up his Westminster seat
at the next election, was in Armenia as head of an official observer
team monitoring the presidential election there on February 19.
Today the Council of Europe said it had arranged a "snap visit"
following the declaration of a state of emergency during last weekend's
violence, in which several people died. Scores of people were injured
and many, including Armenian MPs, were arrested.
Mr Prescott is due to meet the Armenian political leadership, including
President Robert Kocharyan, and the prime minister and president-elect
Serzh Sargsyan.
Yesterday the European Commission called on the Armenian government
to lift the state of emergency declared on March 1.
EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner said:
"I call on all parties to refrain from using force and to engage in
dialogue in order to overcome political differences.
"I also call on the Armenian authorities to release any citizens
detained for exercising their right to peaceful assembly."
Press Association Newsfile
March 5, 2008 Wednesday 10:25 AM BST
John Prescott is heading a European human rights delegation to Armenia
to help defuse the country's growing political crisis.
The two-day trip begins tomorrow at the request of the president of the
Council of Europe's Parliamentary Assembly, which Mr Prescott joined
last October as leader of the UK contingent of 18 Westminster MPs.
Mr Prescott will "assess the post-electoral situation" in Armenia and
"explore possibilities for defusing the current political crisis and
promoting dialogue", said a Council of Europe statement.
The former deputy Labour leader, who is giving up his Westminster seat
at the next election, was in Armenia as head of an official observer
team monitoring the presidential election there on February 19.
Today the Council of Europe said it had arranged a "snap visit"
following the declaration of a state of emergency during last weekend's
violence, in which several people died. Scores of people were injured
and many, including Armenian MPs, were arrested.
Mr Prescott is due to meet the Armenian political leadership, including
President Robert Kocharyan, and the prime minister and president-elect
Serzh Sargsyan.
Yesterday the European Commission called on the Armenian government
to lift the state of emergency declared on March 1.
EU External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner said:
"I call on all parties to refrain from using force and to engage in
dialogue in order to overcome political differences.
"I also call on the Armenian authorities to release any citizens
detained for exercising their right to peaceful assembly."