We hope that positive steps between Armenia and Azerbaijan will continue: Alain Berset
The Secretary General of the Council of Europe addressed the upcoming elections in Armenia and regional developments in general during a session of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. Responding to a question from Armen Gevorgyan, a member of the Armenian delegation to PACE, Alain Berset emphasized that the South Caucasus has a real opportunity and responsibility to move toward lasting peace and stability. According to Alain Berset, efforts by Armenia and Azerbaijan to normalize relations are important not only for the two countries but also for the stability of the wider region.
“Elections will be held in Armenia very soon. I think this is an important moment for a democratic society. Humanitarian issues are also important, including in the context of the war. We hope that further positive steps will follow between Armenia and Azerbaijan, including on the issue of detainees. This issue clearly has an impact on political discussions in Armenia. We are also focused on what we can do to contribute to the holding of free and fair elections in all countries. We will see what happens in Armenia, but in this context I would like to note that we see risks of manipulation, interference and disinformation almost everywhere, and this applies to all countries,” said Alain Berset.
According to Alain Berset, taking all this into account, work is underway on a possible framework convention on disinformation and interference. “We must jointly develop a toolkit to understand what governments can do to protect democracy. This is important for the entire region,” the European official added.