On February 23 the Armenian Parliament discussed draft amendments to the RA Law on International Agreements.

RA Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian, who presented the draft, stated that the document allows one of the parties to withdraw from an international agreement at any stage before the process is completed. He stressed that the draft amendments provide for the suspension and termination of signing and ratification processes for international agreements. Nalbandian stated that Point 18 of the Vienna Convention, which provides for this procedure, has not been incorporated in Armenian laws. “The draft amendments are designed to establish this institute in Armenia,” the Minister said.

Nalbandian evaded a question as to whether the draft amendments have anything in common with the RA President Serzh Sargsyan’s statement that the procedure of signing international agreements had to be amended, which would allow Armenia to withdraw from Armenian-Turkish agreements. As regards the resumption of signing or ratification processes after they have been suspended, the Minister said that the “proposal could be considered.”

The opposition party Heritage was severely critical of the draft amendments and stated its intention to vote against it. The ex-speaker of the RA Parliament Tigran Torosyan stated he wanted to center on the draft rather than on the Armenian-Turkish protocols. He hopes the protocols will not at all be discussed in Parliament. “First, the draft must deal with the termination of the ‘process’, rather than ‘procedure’, of adopting international agreements. Moreover, I do not see any sense in adopting such a document, as it is not of any benefit to the Armenian side. The President could exercise his powers and put an end to the process at any moment, and the Armenian side could withdraw by making a relevant statement. If the Armenian side hopes to influence Turkey by means of this draft, it is a mistake,” Torosyan said.

T.P.