10/03/2008 Monitoring
, 10.03.2008 - John Prescott (, SOC), Council of Europe Parliamentary Assembly (PACE) rapporteur on the Armenian elections, today welcomed the lifting of two provisions of the State of declaration by the Armenian authorities following his visit to last week.
“I especially welcome the lifting of the suspension of the activities of political parties and NGOs, which I specifically called for during my visit. I now call upon the authorities to lift the remaining provisions of the declaration of the State of , especially those that limit the freedom of the media. I reiterate my conclusion that the only manner in which the current crisis can be resolved is through the recognition of the authority of the Constitutional Court and its ruling on the outcome of the Presidential elections; the lifting of the State of Emergency and the restoration of individual Human Rights and Freedoms; the establishment of an independent inquiry into the circumstances that led to the events on 1 March 2008; and the start of a dialogue between all political forces on the necessary political and electoral reform”, Mr Prescott stated.
John Prescott will report on his findings and conclusions to the President of the Assembly at the meeting of the PACE Bureau in on .