Ratification of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court by Armenia will have the most negative consequences for bilateral relations, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on September 28.
“The Armenian partners were initially informed of the position that Armenia’s ratification of the Rome Statute of the ICC is unacceptable in conditions when this structure has issued ‘arrest warrants’ for the top leadership of Russia. Yerevan's initiative to conclude a bilateral agreement was considered, Moscow proposed a compromise option that could suit both parties. Unfortunately, it was not taken into account, and instead Armenia made a political decision in favor of ratifying the Rome Statute. This will have the most negative consequences for bilateral relations,” the statement said.
“Moscow hopes that in the National Assembly of Armenia there will be sober-minded forces who will not churn out a decision that is obviously toxic for Armenian-Russian relations,” the Russian Foreign Ministry summarized.
On the same day, the parliamentary committee on state and legal issues of the National Assembly of Armenia gave a positive opinion to the bill on ratification of the Rome Statute of the ICC and sent it to parliament.
Armenia's representative on international legal issues, Yeghishe Kirakosyan, said in parliament that he does not believe that after the ratification of the Rome Statute there can be talk of arresting Russian President Vladimir Putin upon his entry into Armenia. He said that the Russian partners were offered to sign a bilateral agreement in which the parties would provide mutual guarantees on the most troubling issues. According to Kirakosyan, this proposal was sent back in April, but no response was received.
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