Parliamentary Assembly

Honourable President of the Parliamentary Assembly, honourable Secretary General, distinguished members of the Assembly, at the outset I would like to warmly greet you and to congratulate you, Mr Nicoletti on assuming the high office of President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. You have indeed embarked upon this mission in rather challenging times. I strongly believe that your extensive experience and strength are exactly what is needed for the future success and reputation of our Organisation. I also wish to commend Ms Kyriakides for her excellent performance when she was President of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

The last time I had the honour to speak from this high podium was in 2013, when Armenia held the chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. That mission served as a key landmark in our integration within the larger family of the Council of Europe. I trust that we met expectations while carrying out that mission.

Tomorrow is 25 January, the day on which we acceded to the Council of Europe exactly 17 years ago. At the time of joining this Europe-wide structure, we were fully aware of the path that lay ahead of us. We were also fully aware that building and strengthening democracy would not be easy without the support and direct involvement of the Council of Europe. Indeed, through political will and joint constructive engagement, we managed to overcome numerous obstacles and achieve profound improvements.

As I stand before the Assembly today, I can proudly state that we have honoured the main commitments made to the Council of Europe in terms of Armenia’s democratisation. Moreover, that is not just our assertion. Our achievements in consolidating democratic institutions have been recognised by the monitoring reports of Council of Europe bodies. We firmly continue efforts to join the Europe-wide legal framework, and Armenia has already signed close to 70 conventions. For us, this process is not simply about honouring the commitments we undertook. In doing so, we are primarily implementing our own credo and convictions. We shall continue in that vein. Moreover, our country’s progress on the path of reform will gain new momentum and accelerate in April, when the amendments adopted under the reformed constitution will enter into force, and we will embark upon the implementation of activities envisaged by our comprehensive and enhanced partnership agreement with the European Union.

Any democracy is a living organism. Throughout our quarter-century-long efforts in State building, we have aimed to nourish this organism. We have been fully conscious that democracy constantly requires attention, review and advancement. It cannot afford a standstill and must keep up with the rapidly changing times in order to remain viable. By that logic, we undertook constitutional reform in Armenia, which received wide support from the Council of Europe. Those constitutional reforms will enter into force in April. We have a clear commitment to the pillars of the Council of Europe – to democracy, human rights and the rule of law. We have decided to implement a parliamentary system of government, as I announced from this podium.

Since acceding to the Council of Europe, our country has heard the criticism and encouragements of the Council of Europe. I have no doubt that both have contributed strongly to Armenia’s progress. This whole time, we have co-operated closely with the Venice Commission and, based on its expert opinion, we refined the constitutional reforms package. In an atmosphere of mutual trust, that efficient engagement continues to date through a process of implementing numerous new legislative solutions under the reformed constitution. That was best manifested in deliberations on Armenia’s new electoral code, which resulted in the adoption of the code in a transparent and inclusive process with the participation of various political actors across the board.

We opted for something unprecedented. For the first time in history, we published the signed voter lists after the election. As you know, that practice is not common, especially in the light of personal data protection concerns. However, we decided to do so to achieve greater public trust in the elections. The new electoral code clearly proved its viability in the 2017 April parliamentary election, which was observed by a large number of invited observation missions, including a delegation of this Assembly. It is important to underline that the new electoral code also resulted in the allocation in the national assembly of a certain number of seats that are exclusively for representation of the national minorities. That is yet another step towards more participatory and inclusive governance.

We are currently reforming our judicial, criminal and criminal procedure codes, as well as the referendum law and the law on the constitutional court. We are well aware that the rule of law can be safeguarded only by having an effective, independent and corruption-free judiciary. In that context, we highly appreciate the important role of the European Court of Human Rights, the jurisprudence of which plays an essential role in enhancing the quality of justice in our country. Based on the jurisprudence of the European Court, we have implemented a number of legislative reforms and improved legal practices. Those are important steps for consolidation of human rights protection in our country. Those efforts have not gone unnoticed.

The Republic of Armenia is a leader among Council of Europe member States in terms of proper and consistent implementation of the judgments of the European Court. We are convinced that proper protection of human rights and consolidation of democratic values cannot be effective without a relentless fight against corruption. The fight against corruption must be prioritised at all social and political layers. Armenia is contemplating a new toolkit in that respect. In 2017, the Armenian Parliament unanimously adopted a number of laws that create the first ever national entity for the prevention of corruption, in line with all international standards. The entity will become effective in 2018, and our parliament will elect its members.

The anti-corruption package resulted in the adoption of a law on whistle-blowing and the protection of whistle-blowers. We have also criminalised illicit enrichment. We are determined and committed to continuing our systemic and persistent everyday efforts to eliminate the evil of corruption.

Since accession to the Council of Europe, our country has taken on the profound responsibility of honouring our obligations and respecting our collective commitment to the fundamental values of this Organisation. However, in recent years, we have witnessed an unfortunate and unprecedented crisis of values in this Organisation due to the irresponsible conduct of some MPs who have acted contrary to the core mission of the Council of Europe and inflicted a heavy blow on the Organisation’s reputation. The greater family of the Council of Europe has faced perhaps the most serious challenge since its foundation, as cases of Assembly members being bribed and resulting dishonest voting were exposed.

Since 2014, a number of politically biased and egregious reports and resolutions triggered a sharp change in the attitudes of Armenian society towards this Assembly. However, we hope that such corrupt practices are short-lived. Eventually, they will rise to the surface, rendering the resolutions thus adopted unnecessary and discrediting the individuals and powers responsible. I am convinced that the report of the independent inquiry body looking into the exposed instances of corruption will eradicate those defective practices and help to strengthen member States’ trust in our Organisation.

On accession to the Council of Europe, Armenia undertook a commitment to pursue efforts to settle the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict by peaceful means only and to use its influence over Artsakh to foster a solution to the conflict. Although the Council of Europe is not a conflict resolution platform, I believe that it is appropriate briefly to touch on the issue in light of our aforementioned commitment.

Exactly 30 years ago, on the surface everything seemed calm and peaceful in Artsakh. However, the surface image was deceptive. We had never accepted Stalin’s decision to annex Artsakh to Azerbaijan. Throughout those years, the people of Artsakh were extremely anxious, because the Baku authorities did their best to drive Armenians from their historic cradle. According to the 1926 census, Armenians accounted for over 90% of Artsakh’s population. As a consequence of Baku’s policies, by 1988 the percentage had declined to just 77% of the population. I was among the Artsakhis who were worried about those developments.

In February 1988, the Artsakhis rose against Baku’s policies and tried to exercise, by peaceful means, the Artsakh people’s right to self-determination. I was at the forefront of the uprising. The Parliament of Artsakh took the decision and people went out to join peaceful rallies. Azerbaijan’s reaction was not simply negative; it was to massacre Armenians living in the town of Sumgait, hundreds of kilometres away from Artsakh. That was an act of revenge against Armenians for the decision adopted by Artsakh. On one side of the scale were the parliament’s decision and peaceful demonstrations while on the other side were violence and massacres. Everyone dealing with the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict must clearly comprehend that fact.

All attempts to put the parties to the conflict on an equal footing are inherently futile. Such an equation is nothing but false impartiality. It represents an equal sign between the perpetrators of the Sumgait massacre and their victims. On 27 February, we will commemorate the victims of the Sumgait massacre. Massacre went on to become state policy, as Azerbaijan unleashed a war aimed at the complete annihilation of the Armenian population of Artsakh. Given the deficit of justice and the threat of extermination, Artsakh had no choice but to resort to self-defence. Yet again, I was at the forefront of that and I have never had the slightest regret about the choice that I made then.

The time is ripe for resolution of this conflict. That requires strict respect for the established cease-fire regime and the honouring of all the agreements reached in the past. Settlement must be peaceful and must overcome the deficit of justice. No matter where I find myself, I will always be at the forefront of this matter. The parties should assume joint responsibility for the peaceful resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and find a compromise, middle-ground settlement. The negotiation process under the auspices of the OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs is the only internationally agreed format for the resolution of the conflict. The international community, including the Council of Europe, has reiterated its support for this format on numerous occasions.

The commitment undertaken by Armenia and Azerbaijan requires a joint and concerted effort of all the parties to the conflict. However, Azerbaijan is obviously not ready for that. The aggression that Azerbaijan unleashed against Artsakh in April 2016 was characterised by egregious violations of international humanitarian law against peaceful civilians and prisoners of war. It struck a heavy blow against the negotiation process by reawakening dreadful memories of the Sumgait massacres.

Unfortunately, this Assembly has at times allowed developments that turned a blind eye to the aforementioned facts, following those who are not interested in the peaceful settlement of the conflict. I call on all members of this Assembly to comprehend the potential negative consequences of careless or biased language for the fragile security in Artsakh.

Facing a permanent threat of war, Artsakh continues to build democracy and to promote respect for human rights. In all those initiatives, Armenia will provide full support to Artsakh. Armenia will tenaciously defend the rights and interest of Artsakh and help to strengthen Artsakh’s security. As the Secretary General of the Council of Europe noted, there must be no grey areas in Europe in the protection of human rights. I hope that in the not-too-distant future this Organisation too will stand by the side of Artsakh, with all its expertise. A person living in Artsakh deserves that. The people of Artsakh have long earned that right.

The protection of human rights is a priority for the Artsakh Government. As for the fundamental documents of the Council of Europe, Artsakh has unilaterally subscribed to the European Convention on Human Rights and has undertaken to implement it fully. Commendably, Nagorno-Karabakh has achieved all this on its own, without tangible support from any international organisation. That proves once again that, in Artsakh, respect for and protection of human rights are not mere words but a conscious and determined choice. Artsakh cannot stay out of international processes simply because Azerbaijan is opposed to it. The authorities of Azerbaijan commit flagrant violations of human rights and fundamental freedoms, not least in the criminal prosecution of opposition figures and even their abduction from another country’s territory.

That brings me back to the work of the European Court of Human Rights. The ECHR has examined applications by Azerbaijani citizens that relate to the resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. I understand that the ECHR has taken up this issue with the sole purpose of safeguarding human rights throughout Europe. Nevertheless, the political language and assessments in the decisions of the ECHR can have a direct negative impact on the negotiation process. Therefore, it is necessary for the ECHR to exercise extreme caution in its assessment and to avoid political language.

Distinguished members of the Assembly, our national economies are more vulnerable than ever in the face of present-day global challenges. As a result, welfare and prosperity are at the centre of public attention. The challenging realities in our region in turn undermine the potential for economic growth. Therefore, we aspire to make the best use of all available resources, including the opportunities available to us through integration structures. Five years ago, in 2013, shortly after Armenia’s decision to accede to the Eurasian Economic Union, many people, including a number in this Assembly, expressed scepticism towards Armenia. However, Armenia proved her ability to combine engagement in different integration structures and even to serve as a role model for co-operation. On this day two months ago, on 24 November, on the margins of the Eastern Partnership Summit in Brussels, Armenia and the European Union concluded a comprehensive and enhanced partnership agreement that contemplates a completely new quality of engagement. Armenia’s fully fledged integration into the Eurasian Economic Union was not an obstacle to that in any way.

Today, we actively continue to extend our international engagement in various other directions. The Organisation Internationale de la Francophonie is a case in point. It is, for us, a unique platform for engagement in language and culture and the promotion of human rights. Armenia will host the 17^th summit of la Francophonie in October 2018 in Yerevan. The motto of the summit will be vivre ensemble, living together, and a pact with the same name will be adopted to strengthen human rights and intercultural and interreligious dialogue. For us, it is not simply a motto. The Armenian nation knows the price of hate speech, intolerance and discrimination, and we fight against these practices on all possible platforms.

Next year, we will celebrate the 70^th anniversary of the founding of the Council of Europe. It is a crucial landmark for our greater family, which has been fighting for the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms in Europe for almost seven decades. An Organisation created by only 10 States now unites 47 States of the European family with a population of 820 million. I consider this to be an enormous achievement that should be cherished. No effort should be spared in building a positive agenda and further enhancing the role and significance of the Organisation. The mission of the Council of Europe extends beyond that, however. The Organisation has a great role to play in political and civilizational terms. I believe that the Organisation needs a further stimulus in redefining its role and significance in the Europe-wide political architecture.

The contemporary mechanism and arrangements are truly wanted by our societies to increase this Organisation’s effectiveness. For quite some time now, we have been closely following and have kept at the centre of our attention the commendable process of reforms initiated at the Council of Europe. Armenia supports the idea of convening a fourth summit of the heads of State and government of the Council of Europe. I believe that it will be a good opportunity to identify the most pressing problems and issues of our continent and revisiting the vision of a stronger and more inclusive Europe. I am confident that the founders of the Council of Europe would have been proud of uniting 47 European countries under one roof. This is an achievement whose importance should not be underestimated. This unity needs continuous support from all of us.

Armenia stands ready for the persistent journey towards a more mature form of engagement and co-operation. Armenia stands ready to contribute by all means at its disposal to the success of the Council of Europe, our shared home of democracy and the rule of law.