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Armenia’s accession to ICC Rome Statute ‘political blindness’ — opposition

On Friday, March 24, the Constitutional Court of Armenia published its ruling, saying that the republic’s obligations, outlined in the ICC Rome Statute, comply with the Armenian Constitution

YEREVAN, March 28. /TASS/. The Republican Party of Armenia, led by third President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan, call the Yerevan’s potential accession to the International Criminal Court Rome Statute "political blindness," which carries unpredictable consequences, the party’s executive committee said in its statement Tuesday.

"On March 24 this year, the Constitutional Court ruled - based on the application of the Armenian government - that the obligations, cemented in the ICC Rome Statute comply with the [Armenian] Constitution. This decision of Armenian authorities amid the current geopolitical situation is an extreme political blindness and may cause unpredictable consequences," the statement reads.

The Republican Party of Armenia believes that the ICC is an extremely politicized body, "and there is a reason why even such great powers as the US, China and Russia, all being permanent UN Security Council members, have either not signed or not ratified this statute and have no intention to do that in the future."

"It is a clear political blindness to think that joining this court could ever be used to protect Armenia’s interests," the statement reads.

On Friday, March 24, the Constitutional Court of Armenia published its ruling, saying that the republic’s obligations, outlined in the ICC Rome Statute, comply with the Armenian Constitution. A source in the Russian Foreign Ministry told TASS that the Russian side warned the Armenian counterparts about "extremely negative" consequences of Yerevan’s potential accession to the Rome Statute for Russian-Armenian relations. The Foreign Ministry also added that Moscow considers Yerevan’s plans to join the Rome Statute amid the "warrants" against the Russian leadership unacceptable.

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