Statement in response to the address by the Secretary General of the Council of Europe as delivered by Ambassador Armen Papikyan at the 1470th meeting of the OSCE Permanent Council

25 April, 2024

Madame Chairperson,

Distinguished Secretary General Pejčinović-Buric, I would like to warmly welcome you back to the Permanent Council and thank you for your address. Your regular appearance and address at the Permanent Council of the OSCE is indeed important against the backdrop of the current security and humanitarian crises in Europe in general and in our region in particular.

Both the OSCE and the Council of Europe as regional organizations share the same goal of promoting peace, security, stability in our wider region through the protection and promotion of human rights and fundamental freedoms, rule of law and democracy. Armenia has consistently advocated for a complementary approach in utilizing the comparative advantages of our organizations without unnecessary duplication, especially in the four priority areas of cooperation between two organizations. Among such advantages of the Council of Europe is its experience in the field of tolerance and non-discrimination. We highly value the activities of the European Commission against Racism and Intolerance. The reports of the ECRI reveal real problems of extremism, racism, radicalization and hate crimes particularly in our region.

Armenia strongly supports the cooperation between the OSCE and the Council of Europe in upholding the protection of human rights, promoting and strengthening of democracy and the rule of law. The political commitments of the OSCE participating States in these areas are further supplemented by the legally binding obligations undertaken within the Council of Europe. The right to life, prohibition of torture and other degrading or inhumane treatment - are legally binding norms that all members of the Council of Europe are obligated to uphold. In this regard, Armenia highly values the work and efforts of the European Court of Human Rights. As you may know, we face continuous disregard for the decisions of the European Court of Human Rights with regard to Armenian hostages and PoWs. In this regard practical measures are required for the full and unconditional execution of judgements. To this end we believe thatstrengthening of the ECHR, particularly improving execution of judgments,should be among the priorities of the Council of Europe for upholding human rights standards across member states of the Council of Europe. In our view strengthening the ECHR should involve not only ensuring that judgments are effectively implemented but also enhancing the mechanisms for monitoring compliance and addressing systemic issues.

Under current circumstances, when human rights, democracy and the rule of law have been undermined because geopolitical, economic, business or other interests which in its turn take upper hand over the political commitments that we have all taken within the OSCE, the role of the CoE and the ECHR with their legally binding mechanisms becomes indispensable.

Distinguished Secretary General,

We appreciate that the security and humanitarian situation in our region has always been in the focus of your activities. Your visit to Armenia on 10 of April, provided a good opportunity to discuss the developments in our region following the 44-day war of aggression and its consequences. We would like to emphasize that Armenia highly values your efforts in adapting the CoE action Plan for Armenia to incorporate a Comprehensive response package to which offers an opportunity to address the needs of forcibly displaced Armenian population from Nagorno-Karabakh.

I should recall that upon accession to the Council of Europe the countries of the South Caucasus agreed to honor certain commitments among them I quote “to continue efforts to settle the conflict by peaceful means only” and to settle international disputes by peaceful means resolutely rejecting any threat or use of force against the neighbours.

In this regard, I would like to reiterate that Armenia is firmly committed to establishing lasting peace and security in our region. With the “Crossroad of Peace” project the Government of Armenia reaffirmed its determination to contribute its share to the region’s peace and stability by actively engaging in diplomatic efforts.

On a final note, as your tenure as Secretary General comes to the end it is important to reflect on the challenges we've faced together over the past years. From conflicts and wars to democratic setbacks. However, amidst these challenges you have made an important contribution in increasing the role of the Council of Europe. Madame Secretary General, we wish you every success in all your future endeavors.

I thank you.

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