Artur Vanetsyan cancels working visit to U.S. as part of Armenian parliamentary delegation
Head of the opposition With Honor faction Artur Vanetsyan cancelled his working visit to the U.S. as part of the delegation of the Armenian National Assembly, Sos Hakobyan, the spokesman for the Homeland Party led by Vanetsyan, said on Friday.
In a Facebook post, he explained that the reason for the cancellation was the ruling Civil Contract faction's decision not to include Vanetyan in the list of participants in an important meeting.
"A few hours before the trip, Artur Vanetsyan was informed that three members from the Armenian side would attend the meeting with U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and Vanetsyan was not among them,” the spokesman wrote.
“The authorities decided that there was no need for an opposition member at the meeting with the speaker of the House of Representatives, and the Armenian side will be represented by Speaker of the National Assembly Alen Simonyan, Civil Contract faction head Hayk Konjoryan and Armenian Ambassador to the U.S. Lilit Makunts," Hakobyan noted.
Under those circumstances, Artur Vanetsyan considered his departure to the U.S. inexpedient and cancelled his business trip.
“Such a workstyle of the authorities is unprecedented and unacceptable, especially taking into account the parliamentary system of government of the Republic of Armenia,” the spokesman said, adding it “inflicts a blow" to Armenia’s international standing.
“The motives for such a decision are also thought-provoking: is it only a matter of the authorities’ perverted perception of democracy, intolerance of dissent and disrespect for the opposition, or is there an intention to hide the content of the meeting?
“We condemn such a conduct, considering it a blow to the reputation of the Republic of Armenia. This permissiveness must be rooted out in all possible ways. We will properly inform our international partners about all this,” Hakobyan said.
Is Pashinyan going to attend Putin's inauguration?
17 April 2024 / 14:40
Russian peacekeepers’ pulling out from Nagorno-Karabakh has begun, Kremlin confirms
17 April 2024 / 14:34
Tokayev: Kazakhstan ready to offer platform for Armenia-Azerbaijan negotiations
15 April 2024 / 13:37
U.S. refuses to join Israel in retaliatory action against Iran
15 April 2024 / 11:33
Olivier Decottignies: France is providing Armenia military gear everyone’s desperate to get
09 April 2024 / 13:58
Ruben Vardanyan nominated for Nobel Peace Prize
08 April 2024 / 13:48
Serzh Sargsyan says Armenia-EU-US meeting will intensify Russia-West confrontation
05 April 2024 / 14:17
Pashinyan-Blinken-von der Leyen meeting underway in Brussels
05 April 2024 / 14:08
Aliyev expressed to Blinken Baku's dissatisfaction with the US-EU-Armenia trilateral meeting
04 April 2024 / 12:39
Peace process not the focus of Armenia-EU-US meeting – State Dept
02 April 2024 / 14:57
US deputy special envoy for Iran recaps his visits to 3 South Caucasus countries
02 April 2024 / 14:28
Pope Francis supports talks between Armenia and Azerbaijan
01 April 2024 / 13:09
Turkey’s Erdogan accepts his party’s defeat in local elections
01 April 2024 / 12:48
Azerbaijan's SSS: France incites Armenia to new war
29 March 2024 / 14:47
US State Department to Zakharova: Turbulence in South Caucasus is fueled by Russia's actions in recent months
29 March 2024 / 14:06