YEREVAN, JANUARY 15, NOYAN TAPAN. "To say that not only the Council of Europe but the European structures treat Armenia badly and that we take no interest in that is a false approach," the head of the "RPA" parliamentary faction, deputy chairman of the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) Galust Sahakian said at the "De-Facto Law" Club on January 15, noting that the authorities are doing everything possible to strengthen Armenia's place and position in international structures. "Of course, we would like the PACE not to apply sanctions against our delegation. We must not yield to some conditions at the expense of the country's security," he said. As regards the PACE Monitoring Committee's December decision that approves the draft resolution on Armenia, G. Sahakian noted that he has a higher opinion about the PACE so he is not sure that the PACE will adopt the preliminary version of the draft which, in particular, proposes suspending the Armenian delegation's voting right in the PACE. In the opinion of G. Sahakian, the main requirements of the resolutions have been completely implemented. "It is another matter that we have serious problems related to the presidential election and in general, some problems which we as a sovereign state must solve," G. Sahakian said. He expressed an opinion that there is democracy in Armenia but it is "quite far from being perfect". G. Sahakian commented on the severe criticism that the member of RPA board Rafik Petrosian recently levelled at the head of the Armenian delegation in PACE David Harutyunian. G. Sahakian called it "a sad and unpleasant story". In his words, the issue of replacing the delegation head is neither on the agenda of RPA nor is expected to be put on the agenda. In response to a question of NT correspondent, G. Sahakian stated that no meeting of the PACE Monitoring Committee's co-rapporteurs who are on a visit to Yerevan with the members of their faction is scheduled, and that he is not interested in such a meeting.

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