ANC believes OSCE report on March 1, 2008 events belated

March 12, 2010 - 16:21 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - The report on March 1, 2008 events, provided by OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, states serious violations of human rights during legal proceedings, Armenian National Congress (ANC) coordinator Levon Zurabyan said.

As he told a news conference in Yerevan, OSCE report on March 1, 2008 events reveals that representatives of opposition were wrongfully convicted. “Unfortunately, the report is belated. If published earlier, OSCE report could have made significant influence on legal proceedings,” he noted.

As ANC coordinator stated, yesterday’s meeting between former RA president, ANC leader Levon Ter-Petrossian and OSCE PA President Joao Soares focused on Karabakh issue. “The opposition expressed its disagreement over stationing of observers, instead of peacemaking forces, as observers will be unable to guarantee the safety of NKR people,” Levon Zurabyan stressed.

Commenting on international process of Armenian Genocide recognition, Zurabyan noted that US recognition plays a major role in the process.

Dwelling on internal issues, Zurabyan noted that increase of gas tariffs can lead to social tension in Armenia.

OSCE

The world\'s biggest regional organization dealing with security issues, OSCE (Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe) unites 56 countries situated in North America, Europe and Central Asia.\r\n\r\nIts member state are: Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Belarus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France Great Britain, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxemburg, Macedonia, Malta¸ Moldova, Monaco Montenegro, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Roumania, San-Marino, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden Switzerland, Tajikistan, Turkey, Turkmenistan, United States, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vatican.\r\n\r\nPartner countries include: Afghanistan, Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Japan, Jordan, Marocco, Mongolia, South Korea, Thailand, Tunisia.\r\n\r\nArmenia became an OSCE member state on January 30, 1992.

Armenian National Congress

Before elections of 19 February 2008 around the presidential candidate, Levon Ter-Petrossian, the first Armenian President, an alliance of more than 20 political parties and initiatives formed the all-national movement. On May 2, 2008 at the 2nd Congress of all-national movement Levon Ter-Petrossian put forward the idea of establishing the Armenian National Congress. On August 1, 2008 during a rally the Armenian National Congress was formally established.\r\n\r\nAmong the basic requirements of ANC are the release of political prisoners, restoration of the constitutional rights of citizens and the holding of early elections.