JOHN PRESCOTT: DECISION OF RAFFI HOVANNISIAN TO STOP HIS PARTICIPATION IN THE WORK OF PACE WAS NOT THE WAY TO DEAL WITH DEMOCRACY
ArmInfo
2008-06-26 20:20:00
"That is not the way to deal with democracy," PACE Monitoring
Committee co-rapporteur John Prescott said during the urgent debate
on the report on Armenia’s compliance with the requirements of PACE
Resolution 1609 while commenting on the statement of the member of
the Armenian delegation Raffi Hovannisian, who walked out of the
conference hall right after his speech.
Prescott said that once a person had formulated a problem and had set
a task he had to try to solve it. He said that Hovannisian should not
have left the hall. It is easy to say something and leave. Prescott
said that sometimes he also acted like that but the problem they were
discussing for the moment was very serious. He said that, as a member
of the National Assembly of Armenia, Hovannisyan had a positive role
in the political life of the country and he welcomed that. However, his
action was not the right way to solve the problem. Prescott pointed out
that they had to continue their work. He said that all the opposition
parties of Armenia had shown that it was possible to reach agreement
on how to help the Armenian people. The present situation in Armenia
is not unique. Such things happen in other countries too. PACE’s task
for the moment is to extend a friendly hand to Armenia and to show
democratic confidence.