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ARMENIA IDENTIFIES MAJOR PRIORITIES OF ITS UPCOMING CHAIRMANSHIP OF THE СOUNCIL OF EUROPE СOMMITTEE OF MINISTERS
YEREVAN, April 17. /ARKA/. Armenia has identified major priorities of
its upcoming chairmanship in the Committee of Ministers of the
Council of Europe, which will be passed to it in May 2013, Armenia's
acting foreign minister Edward Nalbandian said Wednesday at a joint
news conference with the visiting secretary general of the Council of
Europe Thorbjørn Jagland.
"When deciding our priorities during our chairmanship in the
Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, we tried to combine
the pressing issues on the organization's agenda with issues which
Armenia views as its own priorities, namely human rights, rule of
law and democracy,' he said.
Nalbandian said Armenia's plan of actions will be announced on May 16
in Strasbourg. It calls for a number of activities at the level of
parliaments, constitutional courts, foreign affairs ministries of the
member countries on issues such as fight against discrimination and
intolerance, cultural and religious dialogue, education and youth
policy.
He added that during Armenia's chairmanship in the organization
Armenian president Serzh Sargsyan and some other top leaders will make
visits to Strasbourg.
In turn, Thorbjørn Jagland praised Armenian authorities for making
progress in the implementation of its membership commitments and
enforcement of reforms in the fields of human rights, the rule of law
and democracy.
"We discussed Armenia's program of activities, which is very
constructive and consonant with the agenda of the organization", he
said.
Jagland also commended the authorities of Armenia for setting up a
working group to consider the recommendations of international
observers to reform the electoral system and for establishment of a
parliamentary commission to investigate the events of March 1-2, 2008
in Yerevan.
The decision to establish an ad hoc commission to study the tragic
events of March 1-2, 2008 was made by a parliament committee on March
15 on the initiative of deputies from the opposition Armenian National
Congress.
It will be the second ad hoc parliamentary commission to study those
events. The first one was established in June, 2008 under the
pressure of the PACE. Its report was presented to the parliament on
16-17 September 2009. -0-
YEREVAN, April 17. /ARKA/. Armenia has identified major priorities of
its upcoming chairmanship in the Committee of Ministers of the
Council of Europe, which will be passed to it in May 2013, Armenia's
acting foreign minister Edward Nalbandian said Wednesday at a joint
news conference with the visiting secretary general of the Council of
Europe Thorbjørn Jagland.
"When deciding our priorities during our chairmanship in the
Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe, we tried to combine
the pressing issues on the organization's agenda with issues which
Armenia views as its own priorities, namely human rights, rule of
law and democracy,' he said.
Nalbandian said Armenia's plan of actions will be announced on May 16
in Strasbourg. It calls for a number of activities at the level of
parliaments, constitutional courts, foreign affairs ministries of the
member countries on issues such as fight against discrimination and
intolerance, cultural and religious dialogue, education and youth
policy.
He added that during Armenia's chairmanship in the organization
Armenian president Serzh Sargsyan and some other top leaders will make
visits to Strasbourg.
In turn, Thorbjørn Jagland praised Armenian authorities for making
progress in the implementation of its membership commitments and
enforcement of reforms in the fields of human rights, the rule of law
and democracy.
"We discussed Armenia's program of activities, which is very
constructive and consonant with the agenda of the organization", he
said.
Jagland also commended the authorities of Armenia for setting up a
working group to consider the recommendations of international
observers to reform the electoral system and for establishment of a
parliamentary commission to investigate the events of March 1-2, 2008
in Yerevan.
The decision to establish an ad hoc commission to study the tragic
events of March 1-2, 2008 was made by a parliament committee on March
15 on the initiative of deputies from the opposition Armenian National
Congress.
It will be the second ad hoc parliamentary commission to study those
events. The first one was established in June, 2008 under the
pressure of the PACE. Its report was presented to the parliament on
16-17 September 2009. -0-