Armenia Responds to Russia's Proposals on Rome Statute Ratification Process

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) of Armenia confirmed on Wednesday that it has received and responded to proposals from Russia regarding the process of Armenia's ratification of the Rome Statute. The disclosure came in response to an inquiry by the RFE/RL Armenian Service.

The MFA, however, did not provide specific details about the nature of the proposals received from Russia. On October 3, the National Assembly of Armenia ratified the Rome Statute with a majority vote of 60 in favor, led by the ruling Civil Contract Faction.

Following Armenia's ratification, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin expressed discontent, labeling Armenia's move as "an absolutely unfriendly move." He further stated that Moscow had submitted specific proposals to Yerevan. However, Galuzin remarked that Yerevan had either yet to make a decision or had chosen to reject the proposals.

In response to the inquiry from RFE/RL Armenian Service about the existence and content of these proposals, the Armenian MFA clarified the situation: "In the context of the proposals conveyed by the Russian side regarding the process of ratification of the Rome Statute by Armenia, the Armenian side has made a proposal to conclude a corresponding bilateral agreement. This agreement aims to address concerns raised by the Russian Federation. However, as of now, there has been no official written response from the Russian side to the Armenian proposal."

The nature of the bilateral agreement proposed by Armenia remains undisclosed. The situation continues to evolve, with both nations engaging in diplomatic discussions to address the concerns raised by Russia following Armenia's ratification of the Rome Statute. Further updates are anticipated as the dialogue between Yerevan and Moscow progresses.