This year marks the 15th Anniversary of Armenia’s accession to the Council of Europe. Becoming a member of the Council of Europe in 2001 was indeed a significant and responsible step for our state. A 10-year-old, newly independent country was going to be part of an organization that encompasses almost the entirety of Europe, has a rich history, traditions and a system of values based on the common commitments of all the members. Moreover, Armenia became a member not only because it was part of the continent, but also because it took commitments founded on the pillars of the Council of Europe in the fields of the protection of the human rights and fundamental freedoms, the rule of law and democracy. Hereinafter Armenia was applying to become a member of the large European family, not only with its history and culture, which are, without a doubt, an indivisible part of Europe, but also with its fidelity to that system of values.

Looking to the route passed by Armenia after the membership to the Council of Europe through the years, we can observe that Armenia has accomplished its mission with honour. The legal obligations foreseen by the membership of Armenia to the Council of Europe pertained to the signature of several conventions, adoption or revision of laws, protection of human rights etc. On the basis of these obligations, for example, we established the institute of Ombudsman and introduced the alternative military service.

Our long and productive cooperation with the Venice Commission of the Council of Europe is noteworthy. In this regard I would like to specifically underline our close collaboration with the Commission on the constitutional reforms taken place in Armenia last December. The reputable institution appraised the project of the reforms as “of very high quality” and “corresponding to the international criteria”.

Armenia, indeed, marked a serious progress in the accomplishment of its commitments. The Council of Europe has noted this fact multiple times and underlined that our country is strengthening its democracy with confident steps. The organization is consistently following the reforms in Armenia through the work of its monitoring bodies, namely the Committee of Ministers and the Co-Rapporteurs of the PACE Monitoring Committee.

Just recently the Committee of Ministers adopted a decision regarding the obligations Armenia has towards the organization. The decision welcomed the constant progress registered by our country in honouring those obligations and applauded Armenia’s commitment to continue reforms in the fields of human rights, democracy and the rule of law. During the 15 years of membership, Armenia has become an inseparable and vibrant actor of the Council of Europe and its various bodies. Within the frameworks of the Council of Europe Armenia enjoys opportunities of implementing vital reforms for the benefit of our people, based on our set of priorities.

In this regard we have employed a large number of programmes through different mechanisms of cooperation. The Council of Europe Action Plans for Armenia have proven their effectiveness. So it does not come as a surprise that we are launching the third Action Plan today. It encompasses dozens of projects in the fields of ensuring justice, the rule of law, human rights and democratic governance. As in the case of the previous one, the European Union has a big input in this Action Plan, as well, for which I would like to express my gratitude to our EU partners.

In 2013 our country assumed the Chairmanship of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe. Armenia took the wheel of the biggest European organization, and it was an important mission, as well as an opportunity and a responsibility at the same time. The Armenian Chairmanship was a success, as also noted by the Secretary General, different bodies and Member-States of our organization. In the framework of the Chairmanship we organized 13 large international conferences, dozens of events in Armenia.

For six months Armenia had the opportunity to initiate discussions, to present topics to the attention of the big family of the Council of Europe. These were well-timed and urgent issues for Europe focused on the issues of combatting racism and xenophobia, intercultural dialogue, development of democratic societies, bolstering of the Council of Europe’s role in the European Architecture etc. To advance and implement discussions on these topics we were cooperating closer, than usual, on a daily, even hourly basis with the Secretary General, the Secretariat, PACE, Congress, the Human Rights Commissioner. We appreciate their constant support in advancing our priorities. The Armenian Chairmanship kept the issue of reinforcing the capacities of the organization under its radar, with the aim of enlarging the effectiveness of the Council of Europe in overcoming the threats to the human rights and democracy.

Armenia’s Chairmanship contributed to the development of the relations of the Council of Europe with different international and regional organizations, aimed at enhancing the efficiency and coordination of activities between organizations operating in the same areas.

One of the important issues discussed at the 126th Session of the Committee of Ministers in Sofia was entitled “How to ensure human rights in conflict areas?”. This, indeed, is an important initiative to promote human rights and fundamental freedoms. Naturally, the Council of Europe, as an important organization operating in this direction, should be interested in and work on making its principles, common European values and the rights of individuals under the European Convention on Human Rights applicable to all the people living in the zone of its influence, regardless of their residence status. The promotion of human rights is a universal imperative, which has no national or state tints, knows no borders. In this regard, we attach importance to such recent initiatives to discuss the subject of ensuring human rights in conflict zones, including the views expressed by the Secretary General, which I highly appreciate.

One should not underestimate the role of international organizations, in particular, those operating in the sphere of human rights, for people living in conflict zones. Eventually it is the universal protection of human rights and respect that lies at the core of resolution of many conflicts. In this regard, the Council of Europe should carry out an important mission.

For years, the people of Nagorno-Karabakh have struggled for the most important out of the human rights, the right of life, which in this case is possible through the implementation of self-determination. It should be emphasized, that the Council of Europe supports the efforts of the OSCE Minsk group Co-Chairs in the process of negotiations on the peaceful resolution of Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, which has been repeatedly stated by the Secretary General and the Committee of Ministers.

In this respect I cannot avoid mentioning the counterproductive initiatives of some PACE delegates. Since I have repeatedly had opportunities to represent our viewpoint I would limit myself by underlining that the only internationally mandated format for Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement is the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chairmanship and all the attempts to relocate the matter to other international formats can only undermine the peaceful and negotiated settlement. The possible negative impact of it has also been mentioned by the OSCE Minsk Group Co-Chair countries.

The Council of Europe today, more than ever, should combat xenophobia, racism, hate-speech and outrageous facts of human rights violations. It needs to be consistent in combatting all those manifestations that threaten and challenge its fundamental values, thus, preventing the further tension and emergence of new crises.

The flagrant violations of human rights taking place in the Middle East, in our immediate neighbourhood, are another urgent call for the international community to fight uncompromisingly against such manifestations. These actions infringe the right to life, enshrined in the fundamental human rights instruments, including the European Convention of Human Rights. In this regard, we highly appreciate the visit of the Secretary General of the Council of Europe Thorbjørn Jagland to Armenia in April last year and his participation in Global Forum against the Crime of Genocide convened on the occasion of 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, where he delivered a speech. Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, for its part, adopted a declaration concerning the Centennial anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, which was signed by 200 delegates.

Armenia’s fifteen-year old membership in the Council of Europe has been marked by reforms in our country and constant cooperation with the Council of Europe aimed at adhering to European values, as well as active and effective involvement of Armenia in different bodies of the organization. I am convinced that this fruitful cooperation will continue to strengthen and expand further.

EDWARD NALBANDIAN
MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS OF ARMENIA
MAY 21, 2016