November 5, 2008 - 18:08 AMT
Failure to meet CoE commitments doesn't lead to imposition of sanctions
Joining the Council of Europe in 2001, Armenia undertook certain obligations. Presently, the republic is in process of fulfillment, said the head of the Armenian delegation to Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe.

"Armenia's progress in fulfilling PACE resolutions 1609 and 1620 will be considered during PACE January session," Davit Harutyunyan said.

"Armenia has chosen the way toward the CoE. If a member country fails to meet its commitments, it become a topic of discussion but doesn't necessarily lead to imposition of sanctions. The problems addressed in PACE resolutions are rather political than legal," he said, adding that CoE Commissioner for Human Right Thomas Hammarberg is expected to visit Armenia in November.

On 17 April 2008, the Parliamentary Assembly adopted Resolution 1609 on the functioning of democratic institutions in Armenia, in which it set out four concrete requirements for the resolution of the political crisis that ensued after the presidential election in Armenia