Head of the Armenian delegation to PACE Arpine Hovhannisyan discussed with Aravot.am the work that the Armenian delegation has done at PACE.
– Nikol Pashinyan announced that the Armenian delegation to PACE is not representing anyone. Is the Prime Minister’s view justified? Especially since you presented yourself as being against this argument during the last resolution at PACE.
“I always thought that work is the best way to battle fears. Our delegation’s work showed that even after a statement that would be dangerous to publish on an international level but was intended for the inner audience of our country’s leadership, we did not stop working, which was to represent Armenia’s national and state interests.”
– Can you describe the important achievements that the Armenian delegation, headed by you, had over these past few years, and also the important steps that you have not been able to take yet?
“When I became the head of PACE, people were talking about how that was the best time for the Armenian delegation since Azerbaijan’s delegation was involved in corruption scandals. But experience showed that Azerbaijanis don’t hold back from using every occasion to express their anti-Armenian sentiments. This meant that we had to be careful at all times. During my time as head of the delegation over the past year and a half, we were able to get rid of anti-Armenian sentiments from seven resolutions, as well as include pro-Armenian sentiments in those resolutions. Just in October the Azerbaijani delegation wanted to include anti-Armenian clauses in two resolutions. We not only were able to take out the anti-Armenian sentiments regarding Artsakh, but also, in the end, the only ones who voted against the resolution were the members of the Azerbaijani delegation. Then, the Azerbaijanis tried to include a clause regarding the closure of the Metsamor Power Plant, but we were able to prevent that.”
Tatev Harutyunyan
“Aravot”
19.10.2018
