On December 5 Mr. Tigarn Torosyan, President of the National Assembly of the Republic of Armenia received Mr. Georges Colombier, PACE Monitoring Committee co-rapporteur and the Committee Secretary Mrs. Despina Chatzivassiliou . Mrs. Bojana Urumova, Special Representative of the Council of Europe, Secretary General to Armenia also participated in the meeting.

Mr. Tigran Torosyan, President of the National Assembly referring to the passed year after the discussion of the fulfillment of responsibilities of Armenia in PACE, said that successes were registered, where the PACE has its important contribution. The President of the National Assembly informed the co-rapporteur about legislative amendments during that process, noting that the parliament had already completed the adoption and amendments of those laws, which are conditioned by the constitutional amendment. Only the bill on Yerevan is left which had already been debated in parliament in the first reading, and the second reading is envisaged in March 2008 in order all the factions can submit their proposals. Mr. Torosyan highlighted the codes and laws adopted in the judicial legal framework, which complete the reform of the system. The President of the National Assembly touched upon the Electoral Code, also noting that though OSCE observation mission proposals were received in the beginning of October, the big amount of those proposals are also included in the amendments made in the Electoral Code. Highlighting also the forthcoming presidential elections to be held in accordance with democratic standards, Mr. Torosyan noted that they are of great importance, first, the application of the provisions of the constitutional reforms is enshrined in the state government and political systems, then good electoral tradition in Armenia will be fixed by holding good elections.

Mr. Georges Colombier, as a PACE Monitoring Committee co-rapporteur , being repeatedly in Armenia expressed gratitude for the work done and especially for the reforms made in the judicial legal system. According to him, it is very important that the second reading of the bill on Yerevan is envisaged in March, giving opportunity of adopting the best law. Mr. Colombier also touched upon the Electoral Code, highlighting its adoption within the framework of presidential elections. The PACE Monitoring Committee co-rapporteur informed the President of the National Assembly about the issues discussed during the meetings, he expressed his concern on creating equal opportunities for the candidates of president in the electronic mass media, noting that the issue was raised by the representatives of the NGOs. Mr. Tigran Torosyan, President of the National Assembly assured that the opportunities of the candidates officially nominated, should be equal. In response to Mr. Colombier’s question, Mr. Tigran Torosyan, President of the National Assembly, also assured that the invitations of the observation mission will be sent in time.

The sides also touched upon the conflict of Nagorno Karabakh. According to Mr. Colombier, the opportunities of peace settlement are not exhausted, in spite of Azerbaijan warlike statements. Mr. Tigran Torosyan, President of the National Assembly, referring to those statements and highlighted the assessment given by the international structures, noting that they should be addressed. In particular, it is stated in the last statement of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairmen, that warlike statements and threats of war are condemned without stating whom they are addressed, when and where. Mr. Tigran Torosyan, President of the National Assembly, highlighted the fulfillment of the items of the PACE Resolution 1416 adopted in January 2005, where it is distinctly enshrined that warlike statements and the campaign of war and hatred are inadmissible, and though two years had passed after the adoption of the resolution, the PACE had not passed any monitoring on the fulfillment of the resolution. According to the President of the National Assembly, the indicator of the settlement of the conflict are not so much the statements of the Minsk Group co-chairmen, but the level of hatred and war campaign, and if Azerbaijan wants to see the conflict solved it should not rouse hatred towards the neighboring people. Mr. Torosyan considered important also to take into account the opinion of the people of NKR on elaborated principles, as any solution inadmissible for the NKR people cannot be realized.

Other issues of mutual importance were also discussed and clarified during the meeting.