News - Armenia representative on international legal affairs: No issue of arresting Russia president under Rome Statute

Yeghishe Kirakosyan, Armenia's representative on international legal affairs, explained what to expect if Russian President Vladimir Putin enters Armenia once the latter ratifies the Rome Statute. In a briefing with reporters at the National Assembly (NA) Thursday, Kirakosyan stated that the serving heads of state are endowed with immunity. "Secondly, the solutions based on Article 96, Section 2 of the Rome Statute were proposed to our Russian colleagues. It implies the signing of a bilateral agreement which enables to create certain guarantees for the concerns that some partner countries may have. The text was submitted [to Russia] months ago, we are waiting for the proposal of our colleagues," Kirakosyan added. But he could not say why the Russian side reacts so sharply to Armenia's expected ratification of the Rome Statute, and noted that even if there is an issue, there are solutions to that issue. "It is not a reservation. It is about an agreement to be signed on the basis of [the Rome Statute’s] Section 2 of Article 96, which can provide for certain regulations, obligations on a bilateral level, which can solve this concern," he said, adding that the proposal was sent to the Russian side in April, but until now there is still no answer, and they are waiting. The NA Standing Committee on State and Legal Affairs has already adopted the draft for the ratification of the Rome Statute, and it has been put on the agenda of the regular plenary session of the NA. The International Criminal Court has issued an international arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin, which implies that the countries that have ratified the Rome Statute must arrest Putin if he visits those countries. The Russian foreign ministry sent a note of protest regarding the Armenian government sending the Rome Statute to the National Assembly for ratification.