ARMENIAN AUTHORITIES GAVE REASON FOR US AMBASSADOR’S STATEMENT ON OSKANIAN’S CASE, KARABAKH EX-FM SAYS
tert.am
11.10.12
Ex-Foreign Minister of Nagorno Karabakh Arman Melikyan said the
statement of US Ambassador to Armenia John Heffern was not desirable
but understands that Armenia, and the authorities in particular,
have given reason for it.
“We apply to foreign states for help on state and party levels and
if we do it, naturally the assistance provider expects to see results
in Armenia,” Melikyan said, speaking to Tert.am.
On Wednesday US Ambassador John Heffern referring to the criminal
charges against ex-FM, Prosperous Armenia party member Vartan Oskanian,
said these developments are bad for democracy and justice in Armenia.
Melikyan said they are not being offended of the USA or Russia as these
states are viewed as the closest allies, donors and friends of Armenia.
“In case we were able to regulate issues on our own, and did not need
the support of any, we could treat it as an unnecessary intervention
to our domestic affairs,” he said.
The NKR ex-FM said, all this is the result of rigged elections.
The US ambassador later at the meeting with the PAP leader Gagik
Tsarukyan again voiced the concerns.
Referring to the intensiveness of such statements, Melikyan said he
thinks in reality they are agreed with pressures of those “concerned
with Oskanian.”
“Though the ambassador does not say who applies to the embassy asking
for statement, but I think the embassy is being subjected to certain
pressure by these people,” he said, asked whether this incident may
freeze Armenian-American relations.
The same he said is in case of PACE delegations, which, as PAP
faction’s secretary Naira Zohrabyan said, provided political
consultations for smoothing Oskanian’s condition and providing him
additional immunity.
“I do not think it will bring forth such results. It is PAP’s issue.
If someone wants PAP be presented in international establishments by
Oskanian, it is party’s interior issue and not a reason for threats,”
Melikyan said.
Asked whether the criminal persecution against former foreign minister
is a right thing to do in terms of external interest, Melikyan said if
the charges are false persecution against each person is wrong. “But
if there are facts and they are proved status does not matter as in
this case nothing but law matters,” Karabakh ex-FM said.
From: Baghdasarian