Analytical Centre on Globalisation and Regional Cooperation
STATEMENT
It is known that the Analytical Centre on Globalisation and Regional Cooperation supported the initiatives of the Armenian government aimed to normalisation of Armenian-Turkish relations and signing of the Armenian-Turkish protocols on 10 October 2009. We also welcomed President Sargsyan’s actions towards more active negotiation process on Nagorno-Karabakh issue within the framework of OSCE Minsk Group and other supplementary frameworks.
However, it is clear that in any state foreign policy is a derivative of internal policy. Thus, for stable progress and success in foreign policy, internal policy should be seriously amended and reformed – including real anti-corruption measures, securing freedom of media, freedom of assembly, conducting free democratic elections, etc.
It is unacceptable that editor-in-chief of one of the most popular newspapers Nikol Pashinyan is in jail and, as it turns out, becomes an object of violent attacks. Obviously, the authorities bear whole responsibility for that, since they do not provide Mr. Pashinyan security while he is in custody.
It is also unacceptable that obstacles for work of non-governmental organisations are created. We consider it irresponsible when under different pretexts activities related to Armenian-Turkish and Armenian-Azeri relations are being obstructed. The most recent example of that was the cancelling of a festival of Azerbaijani films in Yerevan, which had been planned by Yerevan-based Caucasus Centre of Peace Initiatives, led by Georgy Vanyan.
It is even more worrying that Armenian government has plans to amend the law on non-governmental organisations, so the scope of activities of that sector of civil society will be seriously circumscribed.
As a result of all these problems, Armenia’s international prestige may diminish, so it would be considered as one of the most anti-democratic regimes in the post-Soviet area.
Stepan Grigoryan
Chairman of the Board of ACGRC
15 November 2010
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