Minister of Foreign Affairs met with the Heads of several bodies of the Council of Europe

On June 24 Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia and Chairman of the Committee of Ministers Edward Nalbandian delivered a speech during the plenary session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

In his speech Edward Nalbandian presented the priorities of the Armenian chairmanship in the Council of Europe and the steps taken in that direction, the activities of the Committee of Ministers after assuming chairmanship by Armenia and the measures undertaken by the Armenian chairmanship to enhance cooperation between the Council of Europe and EU as well as with the OSCE.

Minister Nalbandian pointed that the priorities of the Armenian chairmanship were defined taking into account the challenges faced by the Organization and the Council of Europe three dimensions of human rights, rule of law and democracy, have been attached a particular importance in the framework of the priorities.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia stated that the Armenian chairmanship will continue to strongly support the reform process of the Council of Europe with full confidence in Secretary General to raise the visibility, responsiveness and political relevance of the Organisation.

“Having these challenges in mind, the over-arching theme of our six months in the chair will be combating racism and racial discrimination, xenophobia and intolerance, and promoting European values through intercultural dialogue.

Our efforts will follow those of previous chairmanships and concentrate on the core objective of the Organisation: to protect and promote human rights, democracy and the rule of law. The expertise of the Council of Europe in the areas of democracy, human rights and the rule of law is a unique and one of the most valuable assets of this Organisation that we should preserve and further strengthen.”

Edward Nalbandian pointed that the Armenian chairmanship is firmly convinced that while speaking about the strengthening of the impact of the Council of Europe activities in promoting democracy, human rights and the rule of law in Europe, we have to ensure that rights of individuals are protected everywhere within the area of the Council of Europe responsibility, without prejudice to the status of the territories where those individuals are inhabiting. We should consider exploring in close consultation with those entities, the ways of a status-neutral approach in promoting our fundamental values and principles. Whatever is the status of those entities at present or in the future, these societies bear and share European values, aspirations.

The Chairman of the Committee of Ministers also stated that discussions continue on the possible creation of a formal status, first and foremost, for countries in democratic political transition and for interested countries in the neighbouring regions, which would qualify for a more structured relationship with the Council of Europe.

After the speech Minister Nalbandian also answered a number of questions from the PACE members concerning the activities of the Council of Europe, the Armenian chairmanship of the organization and foreign policy of Armenia.

On the same day Edward Nalbandian opened the signing ceremony of the Protocol No 15 of the European Convention on Human Rights in the Headquarters of the Council of Europe where the Deputy Secretary General of the CoE, the President of the European Court of Human Rights and representatives of nearly 20 countries signing the document were present.

In his address minister Nalbandian stated that Armenia strongly supports the reform process aimed at securing the long-term effectiveness of the supervisory mechanism of the European Convention on Human Rights and the adoption of Protocol No 15 was an important step in this reform. The chairman of the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe expressed hope that the Protocol No 15 will be signed and ratified by all member-states of the CoE which will assist the better operation of the ECHR. Edward Nalbandian attached a great importance to the finalization of the Protocol No 16 of the European Convention on Human Rights and expressed hope that it will be done during the Armenian chairmanship.

On the same day Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia met with the President of PACE, the Deputy Secretary General of the CoE, the President of ECHR.
During the meeting with the President of the PACE Jean-Claude Mignon the sides touched upon the results of the sessions of the PACE permanent commission and bureau, cooperation between the Committee of Ministers and the PACE. Questions concerning the work of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe were also discussed during the meeting.

During the meeting with Dean Spielmann, the President of the European Court of Human Rights, Edward Nalbandian stated with satisfaction that during the recent years the intensity of the operation of the EHCR has increased. Minister Nalbandian stressed that Armenia as the chairman country of the Council of Europe attaches great importance to the joining to the European Convention on Human Rights by the European Union. He stated that it will result in the creation of a unified European legal framework and will further enhance protection of the human rights in Europe.

The sides also discussed the preparatory works of the upcoming conference entitled “The European legal standards of rule of law and scope the discretion of powers in the member-states of the Council of Europe” which will be held in Yerevan at the beginning of July and is organized by the Constitutional Court of Armenia, the ECHR and the Venice Commission. During the conversation the question of the reforms of the EHCR according to the Brighton and Interlaken declarations was also discussed.

During the meeting with the Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Europe Gabriella Battaini-Dragoni the sides turned to the topic of the questions planned to be discussed during the spring plenary session of the PACE and the cooperation between the Parliamentary Assembly and the Committee of Ministers. Minster Nalbandian and Deputy Secretary General also had an exchange of thoughts concerning the preparatory works of the upcoming “World democracy forum” of the Council of Europe which will take place in November.

Edward Nalbandian also took part in the discussion called “Political extremism in Europe and our response” in the headquarters of the Council of Europe where the President of the PACE Jean-Claude Mignon, the Deputy Secretary General Gabriella Battaini-Dragoni, the President of the ECHR Dean Spielmann, the President of the Congress of Local and Regional Authorities Herwig van Staa, the Commissioner for Human Rights Nils Muiznieks, heads of other bodies of the Council of Europe were present.

Minister Nalbandian also took part in the ceremony of presentation of trams painted in the colors of the Armenian national flag.

In his welcoming speech Edward Nalbandian said that the residents and guests of Strasbourg will travel in trams painted with Armenian colors which will pass to thousands of travelers the warmness of Armenian people and their wish to share peaceful life and build a honorable future with 800 million Europeans.

On the same day Minister Nalbandian left for Warsaw to join the delegation of the President Serzh Sargsyan who is on an official visit to Poland.