ST. PETERSBURG, October 4. /TASS/. Armenia’s adoption of the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) Rome Statute is a part of the general trend on distancing from Russia, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergey Ryabkov told TASS.
"Unfortunately, this action falls in the trend that has been established recently. We see more and more demonstrative steps from Yerevan, aimed at distancing from Russia," he said on the sidelines of the international forum titled ‘Russia and Ibero-America in the turbulent world: history and modernity."
"I am certain that history will set everything straight. Searches for some benefactors from distant lands and desire to please someone will not cross out the unique historic, centuries-long ties of friendship and mutual understanding between peoples of Russia and Armenia," Ryabkov added.
Previously, the Armenian Parliament voted in favor of ratification of the ICC’s Rome Statute. The move was supported by 60 lawmakers, while 20 voted against. Opposition factions that previously boycotted the discussion returned to the meeting hall to vote against. They noted that the adoption of this document has nothing to do with Armenia’s interests and pursues geopolitical goals only.
Previously, the Russian Foreign Ministry told TASS that the ratification of the Rome Statute by Armenia will have the most negative consequences for the bilateral relations. The Ministry underscored that the point, promoted by Armenian representatives, that the accession of the ICC will not affect the Russian-Armenian ties in any way, is false, adding that Yerevan did not take Moscow’s response proposals on the Statute into consideration.