TRANSCRIPT
In a move that will further strain relations between Armenia and Russia, Armenia's parliament has voted to join the International Criminal Court, the ICC.
The Hague-based court investigates and, where warranted, tries people charged with the gravest of crimes, including genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and the crime of aggression.
Armenia's Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan says the decision to join the ICC is intended to address war crimes allegedly committed by neighbouring nation Azerbaijan.
After signing and ratifying the ICC's founding documents Armenia will be bound to accept the court's jurisdiction. The country will be expected to arrest the leader of ally nation Russia, President Vladimir Putin, if he enters their territory. The court issued an arrest warrant for the Russian leader earlier this year, over the war in Ukraine and the alleged illegal deportation of hundreds of Ukrainian children to Russia.
In the Armenian capital these people welcomed the outcome of the parliamentary vote. They weren't perturbed about the possibility of President Putin being arrested in the country.
"Really I would be happy to hear about it. (It would mean) that we are so strong that we can do that. Because we have to be strong to make that step. It will only bring good for this planet. (LAUGHS).”
"I do not know what would happen. It does not matter for Putin to come or not, or anybody to come. It shows that Armenia is an independent state."
Russia warned of "serious consequences" if its ex-Soviet partner submitted to ICC jurisdiction. Following the vote, Russian government spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Armenia had made an "incorrect" decision.
"Of course, we wouldn't like the president (Vladimir Putin) someday, for any reason, to have to refuse to visit Armenia. Armenia is our ally. It is a friendly state for us, our partner."
Russian-Armenian ties have been strained by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and Russia's perceived inaction as Azerbaijan recaptured the self-proclaimed republic of Nagorno-Karabakh last month. The territory, which lies within the internationally recognised border of Azerbaijan, had been controlled for three decades by ethnic Armenians.
Russian peacekeepers didn't step in to halt the Azerbaijani military operation.
The Armenian Prime Minister has been critical of that decision, and has called his country's security alliance with Russia "ineffective". Dmitry Peskov says Nikol Pashinyan precipitated the fall of Nagorno-Karabakh.
"Regarding Karabakh, we should always remember Pashinyan’s decision, which he made in Prague, to recognise the borders of Azerbaijan as of 1991. Accordingly, he recognised the territory of Karabakh to be on Azerbaijani territory. Precisely this became the forerunner of all the situations that are present now."
Russia says Armenia has no alternative to a Russian-led security alliance, known as the Collective Security Treaty Organisation
