EU statement delivered by H.E. Ambassador Stanislav Raščan
Mr Chairman, on 4 March the European Union expressed its deep concern over the violence in Yerevan during the events of 1 March, which resulted in the loss of life and numerous injuries. We called at that time for an independent investigation into the events of 1 March and what led to them.
We welcome the recent publication by the Armenian Human Rights Ombudsman of his report into the pre and post-election developments, and the invitation to international organisations to a roundtable discussion of the report on 12 May. We encourage the Armenian Authorities to facilitate wider discussion of the report in Yerevan, and follow-up on the issues to be resolved as listed at the end of the document. In this regard, the European Union supports the Ombudsman's recommendation for an independent inquiry into the events of 1 March.
The candidate countries Turkey, Croatia* and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia*, the countries of the Stabilisation and Association Process and potential candidate countries Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro and Serbia, the European Free Trade Association countries and members of the European Economic Area Iceland and Norway, as well as Ukraine and the Republic of Moldova align themselves with this statement.
* Croatia and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia continue to be part of the Stabilisation and Association Process
