Very cold: What did Prescott mean?
Lena Badeyan
“Radiolur
”Very cold.” This common expression acquired a diplomatic color in Armenia yesterday due to John Prescott, one of the co-rapporteurs of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. This was the only comment of the Monitoring Committee rapporteurs after the meetings in Armenia. It turns out that Armenian Deputies have comprehended the meaning of the expression in different ways. In any case, Deputies are confident that the agenda of the meetings was very heavy and the rapporteurs did not have enough time to spend in the streets of Yerevan. Deputy of the “Heritage” faction Anahit Bakhshyan saw ambiguity in the expression.
“I’m sure they were not cold. I’m sure that Mr. Prescott and Mr. Colombier resided in the best and warmest hotel, and the matter is not about physical cold. This ambiguous expression refers to making us freeze. Unfortunately, I’m afraid that after returning from Armenia they will add more freezing points in their freezing report or resolution, because they saw that the requirements of PACE resolutions have not been implemented. And the whole nation will feel the consequences of this cold. Our citizens may freeze more than the authorities can imagine.
Member of the Orinats Yerkir faction Hovhannes Margaryan found it hard to comment on John Prescott’s words.
“I don’t know why he said it. I will simply say that they gave no interview after the meetings. I think making comments is the task of journalists, they should try to makethem explain what they meant.”
Since the European diplomats left Armenia without any comment, both the journalists and the politicians were closely watching the expression on their faces. At last, part of the society came to the conclusion that they left Armenia disappointed and angry. MP Viktor Dallakyan confesses he attaches no importance to the expression on the diplomats’ faces.
“I do believe that diplomats should be able to hide their feelings, and if we manage to make conclusions from the expression of their faces, then they are bad diplomats. Anyway, I think that Armenia faces a certain danger of being deprived of the right to vote. My opinion is that if Armenia is deprived of the right to vote, it will have negative consequences for our country’s international image. Secondly, Azerbaijan may use the opportunity to have a number of anti-Armenian decisions passed. I have that concern.”
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© 2003-2008 Public Radio of Armenia
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That's exactly what I thought
Bruce Tasker 1 year 8 weeks ago
Members of the international community have learned their lessons that speaking in front of cameras in Armenia is a dangerous pastime. The regime shows the official moving his lips and dubs it with any Armenian text to suit their needs - like Sarkozy. So all they got from Prescott was 'It is very Cold'.
Let us hope that Prescott has the same level of consideration with what he says at the end of the month at the CoE
A meeting with the Prosecutor General is not a warm experience
Ani 1 year 8 weeks ago
Perhaps it got chilly when PG Aghvan Hovsepian started explaining his theories on mass hypnosis and witchcraft....
--Prescott and Colombier met Prosecutor-General Aghvan Hovsepian earlier in the day to discuss the fate of the jailed oppositionists and, in particular, the seven prominent figures who went on a collective trial last month.
Link for old times sake:
http://www.armenialiberty.org/armeniareport/report/en/2008/03/321B497A-1...