Motion for a resolution | Doc. 13210 | 15 May 2013

The Armenian presidency of the Committee of Ministers

Signatories: Mr Mike HANCOCK, United Kingdom, ALDE ; Ms Sirkka-Liisa ANTTILA, Finland, ALDE ; Mr Philippe BLANCHART, Belgium, SOC ; Ms Rossana BOLDI, Italy, EDG ; Mr José Miguel CAMACHO, Spain, SOC ; Mr Agustín CONDE, Spain, EPP/CD ; Mr Arcadio DÍAZ TEJERA, Spain, SOC ; Mr Zbigniew GIRZYŃSKI, Poland, NR ; Mr Jarosław GÓRCZYŃSKI, Poland, EPP/CD ; Mr Antonio GUTIÉRREZ, Spain, SOC ; Mr Antti KAIKKONEN, Finland, ALDE ; Mr Mariusz KAMIŃSKI, Poland, NR ; Mr Charles KENNEDY, United Kingdom, ALDE ; Mr Terry LEYDEN, Ireland, ALDE ; Mr Younal LOUTFI, Bulgaria, ALDE ; Mr Ramón MORENO BUSTOS, Spain, EPP/CD ; Mr Rubén MORENO PALANQUES, Spain, EPP/CD ; Mr Patrick MORIAU, Belgium, SOC ; Mr Pasquale NESSA, Italy, EPP/CD ; Ms Eva PARERA, Spain, EPP/CD ; Mr Ángel PINTADO, Spain, EPP/CD ; Mr Gabino PUCHE, Spain, EPP/CD ; Ms Carmen QUINTANILLA, Spain, EPP/CD ; Mr Adam ROGACKI, Poland, NR ; Ms Luz Elena SANÍN, Spain, EPP/CD ; Mr Giacomo SANTINI, Italy, EPP/CD ; Mr Antonio SANZ, Spain, EPP/CD ; Mr Jouko SKINNARI, Finland, SOC ; Mr Oreste TOFANI, Italy, EPP/CD ; Mr Giuseppe VALENTINO, Italy, EDG ; Mr Luigi VITALI, Italy, EPP/CD

This motion has not been discussed in the Assembly and commits only those who have signed it.

The Parliamentary Assembly welcomed Armenia as a new member some 12 years ago. Expectations both in the Council of Europe as in the global international community were that Armenia's membership to our European forum for democracy would contribute to an acceleration of the pacification of the South Caucasus.

In several resolutions by the international community, Armenia was clearly identified as an agressor State which was repeatedly condemned for armed aggression, also by the Council of Europe, as Armenia's attitude in this regard is in clear contradiction with the Parliamentary Assembly’s fundamental principles.

Members of the Assembly are concerned about this attitude by Armenia, so much so that they have grave reservations in respect of Armenia's incoming presidency due to start on 16 May 2013.

We believe that it would be right and proper to recommend to the Committee of Ministers that they should seriously review the position of Armenia during their incoming presidency and they should apply whatever pressure they can on the Armenian authorities to ensure that they take immediate steps to remedy the position of Armenia as an aggressive State.

We further recommend to the Bureau of the Assembly that a report and resolution be produced on the failure of the Armenian authorities to comply with international resolutions. This report should also include an assessment of initiatives which in this regard were taken by the Assembly since the moment Armenia joined the Council of Europe.

The Assembly's report should clearly identify the main obstacles and political actors and their responsibilities, and draw the appropriate conclusions. Concrete recommendations for the near future should be formulated and this topic should be put high on the agenda during the Armenian chairmanship.