MOTION FOR A RESOLUTION
11.3.2008
pursuant to Rule 115 of the Rules of Procedure
by Ryszard Czarnecki, Adam Bielan, Ewa Tomaszewska, Seán Ó Neachtain, Liam Aylward, Brian Crowley
on behalf of the UEN Group
on Armenia
B6‑0121/2008
European Parliament resolution on Armenia
The European Parliament,
having regard to its previous resolutions on Armenia;
- having regard to its resolution of 15 November 2007 on strengthening the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP);
- having regard to the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement between the European Communities and their Member States, of the one part, and Armenia, of the other part, which entered into force on 1 July 1999;
- having regard to the ENP Action Plan endorsed by the EU-Armenia Cooperation Council on 14 November 2006;
- having regard to the statement of the preliminary findings and conclusions and the post-election interim report of the OSCE/ODIHR International Election Observation Mission monitoring the presidential elections in the Republic of Armenia of 19 February 2008;
- having regard to the EU Council's statements of 25 February 2008 and of 5 March 2008;
- having regard to Art. 115(5) of its Rules of Procedure;
A. Whereas the European Union remains committed to further developing and deepening its relations with Armenia and to supporting the country in its efforts to introduce the necessary political and economic reforms as well as measures to establish solid and efficient democratic institutions and to tackle corruption;
B. Whereas the Republic of Armenia is bound in an unresolved conflict with the Republic of Azerbaijan over the territory of Nagorno-Karabakh;
C. Whereas according to the joint statement of the International Election Observation mission of the of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe and the European Parliament, the Presidential election of the 19 February were mostly in line with international commitments, but further improvements are necessary to address remaining challenges;
D. Whereas the demonstrations of supporters of opposition presidential candidate Levon Ter-Petrosian in Yerevan ended up in a clash with police resulting in 8 people dead and dozens of injured persons;
E. Whereas a state of emergency was declared on 1 March 2008 which imposes restrictions on the freedom of the media, the freedom to assembly, and on political parties;
1. Is deeply concerned about the unstable situation in the Republic of Armenia after the Presidential elections of 19 February 2008;
2. Condemns the acts of violence resulting in death committed during the clashes between police and protesters alleging election fraud in Yerevan on Saturday 1 March 2008;
3. Call for the proper investigation of the events of 1 March 2008, including the independent investigation of the police intervention during the dispersal of the demonstration on the 1 March 2008;
4. Calls for the immediate lifting of the state of emergency and for the restoration of civil rights and liberties, including the freedom of Assembly, in the Republic of Armenia;
5. Calls upon the Armenian authorities to release citizens detained for exercising
their right to peaceful assembly;
6. Calls upon the Armenian authorities to withdraw the restrictions imposed on media and to guarantee the full functioning of an independent media;
7. Supports the EU special representative to the South Caucasus, Peter Semneby, in his role of facilitating dialogue between the political forces and investigating the possibilities to resolve the political crisis in Armenia;
8. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council, the Commission, the governments and parliaments of the Member States, the President, the Government and the Parliament of the Republic of Armenia, the OSCE and the Council of Europe.