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On April 6, the Chair of the NA Standing Committee on Protection of Human Rights and Public Affairs Elinar Vardanyan met with the members of the Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of the National Minorities of the Council of Europe.

In the course of the meeting the sides touched upon the RA Fourth Regular Report on the steps undertaken in the protection of national minorities’ rights in Armenia.

Let us note that the members of the Advisory Committee visited Armenia for clarifying the information presented in the RA National Report and for drafting the final report on Armenia.

The Chair of the NA Committee Elinar Vardanyan, talking about the problems of the national minorities, mentioned about the Yezidi soldier Karam Sloyan, who was beheaded by the Azerbaijani soldiers during the events going on the Karabakh-Azerbaijani Line of Contact a few days ago. It has been noted that among the lost Armenian servicemen there is a representative of national minorities. The guests have noted that they are simply experts, and though the raised problem is not within the framework of their mandate, nevertheless, as representatives of different countries, they expressed their concern over the events. They expressed hope that long-lasting peace will be set up on the Line of Contact.

During the meeting the interlocutors also discussed issues regarding the national minorities’ problems in Armenia. Answering the guests’ question if there is discrimination towards them in Armenia, Elinar Vardanyan has confirmed that the national minorities are not subjected to any discrimination in Armenia. Moreover, in the future, it is envisaged to establish a quota for them in the RA Electoral Code, by which the national minorities will be represented in the National Assembly. It has been recorded that the national minorities have the same problems as any RA citizen has, and it is conditioned by the fact of being a minority.