On February 4, on the eve of the spring session, RA NA Speaker Artur Baghdasaryan met with the reporters by the tradition established in the parliament. First, the Parliament Speaker presented the bills of the session agenda:

 - The meeting with the reporters has become a tradition after the regular session in the National Assembly. Everybody knows that since this session we’re going to work with new Rules of Procedure, and during this session the legislative activities of the parliament will be rather overloaded. I would like to divide the law-making activities of the parliament into two parts: of political and public-social importance. The constitutional reforms are considered of most important political importance, and we’ll initiate to discuss them during this session. At the NA head committee we’ll begin the discussion of the draft laws and we’ll try to make closer our positions related to the one united draft law, if it will be possible, and if not, the parliament will discuss the three draft laws and adopt a relevant decision. The second is the Electoral Code, which we are intended to discuss at the end of February and at the beginning of March. The second key document is the adoption of the new law on Yerevan. I also highlight the discussion of the draft law on regional government, on lobbying activities.

I would like to specify the issue of returning the deposits among the laws of public and social importance. You’re aware that yesterday by the order of RA President a working group studying the return, was set up where specialists of the Government, National Assembly and independent committee, who will make studies and will present proposals till June 1.

It means that this problem will be in the center of everyone’s attention. I highlight that during this session we’ll discuss the draft law “On the State Support of Big Families,” which is of high social importance because it’s not possible to boost the natural growth, institutional guarantees are needed. I think that this law will promote that the Armenian families would have three-four children, instead of one-two.

A number of important laws will be adopted in the education system, we are intended to adopt a law on pre-school education, which refers to the kindergarten. You know that the 30 per cent of the kindergartens have been eliminated in the country, a part of which has been privatized. The kindergartens, music schools are in rather hard conditions.

Laws regulating the education of the handicapped requiring special education and on state support to the small and medium entrepreneurship will be adopted. A number of laws of economic and social direction will also be adopted.

The councils affiliated with NA Speaker will also continue their activities. There was a proposal from the national minorities to shape a new council, which will be involved in the key problems of the national minorities. We’ve shaped the council. Thousands of letters were received and studies during the activities of the councils. Two days ago we discussed a very important problem connected with small and medium entrepreneurship. Especially now, when the dissatisfactions increased connected with the strictness of the red tape, it was a good opportunity to compare the viewpoints of the people being involved in small and medium entrepreneurship with the viewpoints of the state bodies.

The second direction that I would like to mention will be related to NA international activities. We think that it is necessary to activate the international activities of the parliament and parliamentary diplomacy. You know that the National Assembly of this convocation joined the NATO Parliamentary Assembly and Parliamentary Assembly of Francophonie. We are inclined to activate our efforts in order to join Armenia the Western European Parliamentary Union, also to have the status of an observer in the Parliamentary Assembly of the Arab countries, which is of very high importance for the shaping of relations with the Arab world. I’ll remind you that half a million Armenians live there. It’s of serious political and not only of parliamentary importance connected with the Nagorno Karabakh problem, and in general, from the viewpoint of regulating the relations with the Muslim world. You know that the Islamic conference has already adopted several non-favourable resolutions and it’s important that we could develop our relations with the Islamic world.

We are going to make steps to join the Parliamentary Assembly of the American continental countries, to get the status of observer in the Parliamentary Assemblies of Scandinavian countries, which will enable to use the mechanisms in order to discuss the problems concerning our country in international structures, You know that today, three structures: NATO PA, PACE and OSCE prepare reports on NK problem, refugees, mass media. So, the parliaments are actively involved in the economic and political problems of the transitional countries, too. It requires from us to multiply our efforts in order to activate parliamentary diplomacy, activate mutual visits. It means that NA should try to organize mutual visits. This year we hope to receive parliament presidents of a number of countries.

I consider very important the signing of bilateral parliamentary agreements. I’m sorry to say that, for example, that we have a great need to develop inter-parliamentary relations with Egypt, as well as inter-state relations. In this sense we’ll have to make serious steps because there are a few countries with which Armenia signed cooperation agreements. During the last two years we signed cooperation agreements with the parliaments of a number of states – France, Italy, Cyprus, Bulgaria, Poland, Belarus, which is very important, so the development of our future relations will be guaranteed.

Our delegations will actively participate in the activities of all inter-parliamentary assemblies. We’ve stated and we state once again that the visits will be only to discuss official, labour problems and not participate in various workshops, the use of which is not so big.

In the National Assembly the visits of the NA Speaker, committees and councils to the regions (marzes) of republic will be continued, during which we can give answers to the problems concerning people.

You know that works are done in the direction of the citizens’ applications and letters and citizens’ receptions are organized. More than 2500 letters received only during my visits say that we should actively continue those meetings.

In order to provide the publicity of the National Assembly I would like to inform you that beginning from this session every committee will present a report on its activities. The same also refers to the factions and grouping. After each four-day sitting every faction will present its viewpoint, but NA staff will organize that every faction presents its approach on its activities during the sitting.

The next news is that from now on in NA an illuminated indicator-board, where all the arrangements being held in NA will be.

During the session every committee will organize at least a parliamentary hearing, which will relate to the problems of crucial importance.

I would like to remind you that this year is the 15 years of the parliament of Armenia and 10 years of the activities of the National Assembly. This is a jubilee year, and I as a NA Speaker I would like to announce the year 2005 as a year of parliamentary accord. Of course, I don’t know, to what extent we’ll succeed but in all cases this is a good opportunity in 2005 to have all the forces presented in the parliament more open and tolerant, more ready to discuss together and resolve the problems in the country concerning the people, Dear reporters, if you have proposals, you can present them to Anahit Adamyan, Head of the department on Public Relations.

RA NA Speaker Artur Baghdasaryan answered the reporters’ questions.

“Mediamax” – Mr. Baghdasaryan, you said that the Committee on Foreign Relations should initiate parliamentary hearings on Karabakh problem. When should it happen? Your attitude towards Nagorno Karabakh related to the statement made by “Ardarutiun” (Justice) bloc.

- First, I said that there will be hearings: beginning from Nagorno Karabakh problem till discussions of other key importance connected with the problems concerning the country and people. A schedule on the discussions will be developed and submitted to you. Those discussions will be held during the upcoming 1-2 months of this session. In fact, each hearing should be well prepared. The statement made by “Ardarutiun” (Justice) bloc was not discussed, and at the moment I’m not informed to give you a substantiated answer.

“Iravunk” (Right) – First, about the debts of the last year: you promised that the relevant competent bodies will be involved in the speculations revealed as a result of the studies made by NA Control Chamber. Second: “Orinats Yerkir” (Rule of Law) quite often raises a question on the situation in the aviation. The third question refers to the moral-psychological atmosphere: “Hammer” car can break cars, can become a cause of human victims and a signature of being absent was not taken from anyone. Meanwhile, a man was taken into custody on speaking about the high-ranking homosexuals. What do you think about this?

- We sent the materials connected with the Control Chamber to RA Prosecutor’s office, we have some answers and during the upcoming one-month we’ll publish those answers. It’s evident from those answers that based on the materials of the Control Chamber, in a number of cases, criminal cases were sued and numerous officials were brought to administrative responsibility. But when I get the whole certificate with a name and surname and, according to enterprises, I’ll publicize certainly at NA sitting or in this hall, so I would have redeemed my promise till the end. If you remember, I promised to send all the materials to the prosecutor’s office, what I’ve done. I find that we should be persistent that all persons being accused in the revealed abuses, regardless of their posts, will be subjected to responsibility. I would like to touch upon immediately the story of “Hammer.” We know that very often double standards are applied and we know cases, when the illegality is administered in the name of law against which I and “Orinats Yerkir (Rule of Law) fight: it’s impermissible. If there was a crime, it doesn’t matter, who has done it and he should be brought to responsibility. Of course, we know that in Armenia not everybody is equal before law, but finally we’ll have to create a country where everybody will equal before law, so the law will not say one thing for the one who has money or for an official, and another thing - for the one who has no position. It’s a long-term struggle, and it’s possible to succeed together with the mass media, NGOs and everybody. What refers to the problem of aviation, we always raise that question. I find that in that sphere we have very sad, and in certain cases disgraceful revelations, and we’ll have to clarify the reason and deal with that matter seriously. I’ll say that we made statements on this occasion and in future the parliament will deal with the situation in the aviation and if you’re interested in that, we’ll present information. What refers to Armen Avetisyan’s arrest, the relevant bodies should present exhaustive information, when it will be clarified by the pre-examination on what basis it has been done. I don’t think they will be delayed.

“Azatutiun” (Liberty) – Mr. Baghdasaryan, today the Committee on Social Affairs, Health Care and Environment didn’t give a positive endorsement for having Viktor Dallakyan’s submitted draft law on returning the deposits to the people on the agenda. On Monday the issue will be put for voting. What will be your position as a NA Speaker, as well as the position of “Orinats Yerkir”?

- I’m aware of the endorsement of the committee on the draft law on the returning the deposits. In this case we’re related to two problems, political and before the boycott we’ve reached an agreement with the opposition and other political forces, to present a united legislative initiative. At the end of the year a meeting of coalition was held with the participation of the president of the republic, and it was decided to set up a relevant committee to discuss the issue. According to his promise, yesterday RA President set up a working group with his decree, and we should wait for the end of the activities of that group, so to shape a shaped position in the legislative and executive authorities. Under such conditions, “Orinats Yerkir” faction displayed constructive approach and delayed the discussion of its draft law. It was expected that the opposition would also delay the discussion of its initiated issue till the end of the activities of the above-mentioned committee. And if they are so zealous, we’re saying two years running that we’ll discuss the issue, return the deposits and it would be better that they would have displayed the same persistency. Now, a very favourable situation was created: the professionals’ group works and they will present their conclusion. Let’s say the deposits can’t be returned from the half of the budget year. At the moment the problem has the reason of causing political aggravation, which we consider not right. We are not going to vote against the issue of returning the deposits - we’re going to vote against that cause.

“Hayots Ashkharh”(Armenian World) – Yesterday, the coalition published a statement in response of the proposals of the opposition. According to the estimations of the opposition, there was no answer given, in fact, to their proposals, and the opposition takes the statement of the coalition as a denial. Your comments on this occasion, and what steps will you make in future?

- I would like to say that it should not be observed as a denial. Another thing is that everybody can comment on these realities in his way, i.e. in what way he wants. For example, we were reading in the press that the opposition is not inclined to accept the coalition’s proposal. I think that in our country the constitutional reforms should be implemented in the spirit of maximum wide public accord. The coalition in its statement distinctly re-established its political will and readiness to implement the constitutional reforms through joint discussions. One can find ten wordings to solve a problem. The questions are acceptable, and they should be discussed. Our answer is not a denial, but a constructive political position. The coalition proposed months ago to adopt the Constitution by consensus. There was denial. Now, we’ve published the second statement. I don’t think it’s a denial, but a next appeal to other joint work.

“Ambion” (Tribune) – Taking into consideration the developments not favourable for Armenians on the regulation of the Karabakh conflict, how possible do you consider the resignation of RA President Robert Kocharyan, moreover, there was precedent. And the second question: there is news in the press that you had meetings in Arab Emirates with Karlos Petrosyan and other political figures. Can you confirm or deny the news?

- I would like to say that that there is no base for the resignation and I don’t think that we appeared in very hard and unbearable situation in the problem of Karabakh. An active process of negotiations takes place with not negative accents for the Armenian side. I’m not an optimist, too to see everything in green colours, and not a pessimist to see in red colours. I try to be a realist, and I implore the same to you. The issue of Karabakh is a complicated problem and it’s possible to solve only comparing with different, multi-coloured realities: one should not divide it into black and white. For example, it’s a fact that the parliamentary structures in the world activated their participation in the matter of regulating the conflicts, not only in the matter of Karabakh, but also other regional matters. It means that we should be careful connected with that matter, present our problems in more organized way and today we do our utmost in this direction.

In Arab Emirates I didn’t have meetings with the above-mentioned persons.

“Zhamanak” (Time) – I would like you to assess Mrs. Jones’ statement. Don’t you see a danger in Atkinson’s report and PA resolution and give your assessment on the mission of collecting facts?

- Atkinson’s report could be much better and nobody admires that report. I think that we should multiply our political and diplomatic efforts, so to have better results. But I don’t belong to such people, who think that we have very bad results. What refers to Jones’ statement, the US gave relevant clarification through its embassy, and I don’t have anything to add.

There was much spoken on familiarizing with the main problems on the spot. Goran Lennmarker also organized such visit at parliamentary level, I think that it’s very good that those visits take place: let the people get familiarized with the real situation on the spot and I don’t think that we’ll suffer from that. Let the real situation be recorded, so not to have different speculations. If we add the circumstance that the European structures are not well informed about the process, I don’t think that we have extraordinary developments in that sense.

“ Golos Rossii” (Voice of Russia) – How do you assess the Armenian-Russian cooperation and perspectives? Give details about the council on the national minorities being set up affiliated with NA Speaker.

- All councils set up with NA Speaker proved the viability of their activities during these one and a half years. The national minorities gathered and proposed to set up one more council. We know that there are numerous problems accumulated before the national minorities of Armenia, and we’ll try to support them in solving the legislative, institutional and concrete practical problems.

What refers to the Armenian-Russian relations, I think, that they will develop in natural way. Connected with the year of Russia, there will be a great number of arrangements this year and visits of high-ranking delegations are envisaged in future, which will be a new impetus for our relations.

“Haykakan Zhamanak” (Armenian Time) - In October elections of local self-government bodies will be held. The Dashnaktsutiun and the republicans have already stated that political accord will hardly be inside the coalition on 630 communities. The Republican Party made an application for taking great part of votes. What expectations do the “Orinats Yerkir” (Rule of Law) has, and is it possible to avoid clashes?

- “Orinats Yerkir” party is not going to have negotiations with any political force, which is not going to be directed to holding transparent elections. I officially announce that for “Orinats Yerkir” will be of priority to hold the elections of self-government in 2005 with open, transparent and public mechanisms. We are going also to insist on it during the discussions of the coalition, and none of political forces can say beforehand: I’ll win here or there. “OYe” is going to actively take part in those elections: today we have a great number of community leaders. The trade won’t be in the base of our participation: we’re going to put on the table of negotiations with our partners and opposition of coalition, first of all, the problem of organizing the elections. The elections will be organized with open, transparent, free, fair mechanisms, so an issue won’t be raised on the bad resolution of the Council of Europe in January 2006. Once we all together with political forces, had to come to an agreement on holding fair elections. The head of the community should be elected, who is worth, to whom the people trust and accept.

- “Aravot” (Morning) – Mr. Baghdasaryan, what’s today N1 problem of the inner-political life of Armenia?

- I would like to see the constructivism in the political field, the discussions in open, tolerable spirit to be held more because today the intolerance, evil, jealousy is one of the most serious problems of our inner-political field. When Armenia became 29,800 km² from 300.000 km² the reason more often was in intolerance and self-admiration. One of the important achievements of our inner-political field will be to have the year 2005 a year of parliamentary accord, assessing each other, respecting and working together in the solution of the faced problems before our country.