Wednesday, 18 June 2014
PM Welcomes PACE Co-Rapporteurs
Prime Minister Hovik Abrahamyan received PACE (Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe) co-rapporteurs for Armenia Axel Fischer and Alan Miles, who are in Armenia to conduct a fact-finding mission from June 16 to 18, 2014.
The Prime Minister welcomed the co-rapporteurs to the Government and thanked them for fruitful cooperation. “We highly appreciate your efforts aimed at ensuring Armenia’s compliance with the commitments assumed upon its membership to the Council of Europe. Armenia is not only an active member of the Council of Europe, which has participated in the work of the Organization at all levels, but we also had the honor to chair the proceedings of the Ministerial Committee in May-November, 2013. We will continue to strengthen human rights, the rule of law and democracy in the country,” the head of government said.
The co-rapporteurs congratulated Hovik Abrahamyan on appointment to the office of Prime Minister, wished him every success and conveyed warm greetings on behalf of former co-rapporteur for Armenia John Prescott. Axel Fischer and Alan Miles hailed Armenia’s contribution to Ministerial Committee’s activities during its chairmanship and our country’s cooperation with the monitoring commission, as a whole.
“Armenia continues along the path of democracy, which is a good achievement for Armenia and Europe,” the co-rapporteurs emphasized.
At the guests’ request, Hovik Abrahamyan briefed them on the priorities set out in the new government program, as well as on those assistance programs designed in support of Syrian Armenians relocated to Armenia following the Syrian crisis.
The Prime Minister referred to the constitutional reform, the regional situation, Armenia’s relations with neighboring countries and its participation in integration processes.
The interlocutors reaffirmed their readiness to continue working toward ensuring greater progress in human rights, rule of law and democracy. The parties took the opportunity to discuss peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict within the framework of the OSCE Minsk Group.
