On March 7 Mr. John Prescott, Chairman of the PACE Ad-Hoc Committee to Observe the Presidential elections in Armenia, had meetings with the factions of the National Assembly.

During the meeting with Mr. Artur Baghdasaryan, head of Country of Law faction, which attended Mrs. Bojana Urumova, Special representative of CE General Secretary, Mr. John Prescott, Chairman of the PACE Ad-Hoc Committee, referred to the events of the post-electoral period in Armenia. He noted that we should recognize the rights and authorities of the Constitutional Court, irrespective of the fact what decision the Constitutional Court will make on the elections. According to Mr. Prescott, the first President of the Republic of Armenia Mr. Levon Ter-Petrosyan said that he had conditions for dialogue, which are also the requirements of the European Union. It was noted that all sides are interested in studying the problem and solve it through dialogue. Stressing the lifting of the state of emergency the Chairman of the PACE Ad-Hoc Committee noted that the problem of the government is to be at the state of emergency or not but appropriate conditions are necessary for beginning a dialogue. Mr. Prescott finds that it is necessary to develop and boost political activeness. He noted that the Council of Europe has concerns connected with the problems of human rights, which are laid down in the basis of the agreements between Armenia and the Council of Europe.

Mr. Artur Baghdasaryan, head of Country of Law faction, noted that being one of the main opposition forces, before the start of the election campaign he asked for constructive dialogue with the first President of the Republic of Armenia Mr. Levon Ter-Petrosyan and other opposition forces. But according to Mr. Baghdasaryan, after the start of the election campaign that dialogue gets complicated. He proposed the presidential candidate Mr. Levon Ter-Petrosyan to sign an agreement document, but the latter refused. The first President of the Republic of Armenia proposed Mr. Baghdasaryan to unite or go out of politics. Speaking about the events of March 1 Mr. Baghdasaryan noted that the authorities had no intention to take any actions towards the demonstrators: the authorities were ready to wait for the decision of the Constitutional Court, but knowing about the accumulation of the weapons they made a decision to carry out checking. Mr. Artur Baghdasaryan finds that the legal problems must be solved in the legal field and must not politicized. The head of the Country of Law faction ensured that at the request of the RA Prime Minister, being involved in the coalition and undertaking a serious responsibility, they will go through democratic reforms.

Mr. John Prescott, Chairman of the PACE Ad-Hoc Committee to Observe the Presidential elections in Armenia, met with the member of ARF faction Mr. Vahan Hovhannesyan in the National Assembly. The meeting attended Mrs. Bojana Urumova, Special Representative of CE General Secretary and Mr. Kiro Manoyan, director of the Office of the Armenian Cause and Political Affairs of the ARF Bureau.

In Mr. Prescott’s words, the visit has an aim to get familiarized with the created situation in Armenia, and what refers to the final assessment of the Council of Europe there were recommendations, the process goes on, and the dialogue will be over electoral reforms. Touching upon the inner-political situation in Armenia Mr. Prescott stressed the necessity of dialogue and tolerance. As he assured, the sides should adopt the decision of the Constitutional Court, regardless of the fact they agree with that decision or not. In Prescott’s opinion, it’s necessary to examine the events in detail, clarify the reality and give answers to all questions.

Mr. Vahan Hovhannesyan noted that it senseless to discuss now the conduct of the elections and the size of violations. It’s true there were election riggings but the ARF considers senseless to make the size of election riggings a matter of discussion and is not going to dispute the election results as the election system has many drawbacks in Armenia, and does not give an opportunity to any political force to control in reality. In contrast to Mr. Levon Ter-Petrosyan, who used his discontent towards the authorities with deconstructive purposes, the ARF carried out its entire election struggle in constructive, civilized way. Mr. Vahan Hovhannesyan noted that still on February 28 he made a statement, where he called on for tolerance and cooperation and proposed steps in order to facilitate the tension: formation of the new election system, which excludes the possibility of election riggings, creation of real plurality in the country, conditions for freedom of speech, provision of guarantees to fully act for the opposition in the political system, and the opposition can become an influential factor for making political decisions in the country. If the opposition is deprived of it, it will always try to become an important factor in the street. Referring to the RA President’s decree on the announcement of the state of emergency in Yerevan, Mr. Hovhannesyan considered it a necessary step for that moment but now, in his opinion, some provisions of the decree must be mitigated, in particular, the provision concerning the freedom of mass media. In order to get out of the created post-election situation the ARF requires an impartial and complete study of what happened and punish all those guilty. Mr. Hovhannesyan expressed conviction that the priority is the security of the country, the provision of stability, which will give opportunity to go back to the establishment of democracy.

The head of Heritage faction Mr. Raffi Hovannisian, members of the faction Mrs. Anahit Bakhshyan and Mr. Vardan Khachatryan met with Mr. John Prescott, Chairman of the PACE Ad-Hoc Committee to Observe the Presidential elections in Armenia, who is in our country with post-election fact-finding mission. The meeting attended Mrs. Bojana Urumova, Special Representative of CE General Secretary.

Mr. Prescott noted that they are concerned about the disclosures of the society’s distrust towards the post-election developments and election system. He touched upon the meeting with the presidential candidate Mr. Levon Ter-Petrosyan during the pre-electoral period: at that period serious situation was formed connected with the freedom of speech and human rights. Presenting his impressions and concerns on the post-elections situation, Mr. Prescott considered necessary the conduct of dialogue, and ensured that the European structures will use all their opportunities for it.

Mr. John Prescott, Chairman of the PACE Ad-Hoc Committee to Observe the Presidential elections in Armenia considered necessary the reduction of some restrictions in the conditions of the state of emergency, the conduct of open and public examination, which will also promote the rise of the society’s trust. He referred to the meeting with the presidential candidate Mr. Levon Ter-Petrosyan during the pre-electoral period and noticed that as he was told during that period serious situation had already been created connected with the freedom of speech and human rights. Presenting his impressions and concerns on the post-electoral situation, Mr. Prescott considered necessary to hold a dialogue, and ensured that for that the European structures will use their all possibilities.

Mr. John Prescott, Chairman of the PACE Ad-Hoc Committee to Observe the Presidential elections in Armenia considered necessary the reduction of some restrictions in the conditions of the state of emergency, the conduct of open and public investigation, which will also promote the rise of the society’s trust.

The head of Heritage faction Mr. Raffi Hovannisyan referred to post-electoral developments and stressed the necessity of exclusion of application of double standards at different levels. Mr. Hovannisyin presented the pre-electoral and post-electoral events, noticed that at present the ongoing trial at the Constitutional Court is carried out in the conditions of the state of emergency, which cannot be considered legal and will deepen distrust towards the judicial system.

The head of the faction expressed his opinion that a little is done for holding dialogue: in particular one-sided information is given, exclusively opposition representatives are being arrested, etc. Mr. Hovannisian expressed hope that Mr. Prescott’s visit will promote the conduct of dialogue.