Russian Ambassador Reminded He Has No Right to Interfere in Armenia’s Internal Affairs

Article 41 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations states that an ambassador has no right to interfere in the internal affairs of another country, Yerevan State University Faculty of International Relations student Davit Harutyunyan wrote in an open letter to Russian Ambassador to Armenia Ivan Volynkin (pictured), following publication of a recent interview in which the ambassador "advocated serious government restrictions on Western-funded Armenian civic groups strongly opposed to Armenia’s deeper integration with Russia."

"In your interview to the Russian-language newspaper Noev Kovcheg you said you were going to engage in neutralizing non-governmental organizations operating in Armenia that want to drive a wedge in Russian-Armenian relations, citing as an example the newly adopted law regulating the activity of NGOs in Russia.

"I would like to draw your attention to the fact that NGOs are not subjects of international law; therefore, their activity cannot have a direct impact on diplomatic relations. As for activities against Armenian-Russian friendship, I think the best way to combat this is to have peer-to-peer diplomatic relations and not to view the Republic of Armenia as a place to implement arbitrary wishes. The Constitution of the Republic of Armenia provides for freedom of speech. 

"With the purpose of refraining from such problems in the future, I would like to draw your attention, as well as the attention of other ambassadors in Armenia to Section 1 of Article 41 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, signed April 18, 1961. Below I present the aforementioned article:

"ARTICLE 41.1: Without prejudice to their privileges and immunities, it is the duty of all persons enjoying such privileges and immunities to respect the laws and regulations of the receiving State. They also have a duty not to interfere in the internal affairs of that State," reads Harutyunyan's letter.

Note, RA Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Tigran Balayan yesterday also responded to Volynkin's remarks, saying that "no non-governmental organization can drive a wedge between Armenia and Russia, in allied relations based on the age-old friendship between the two peoples and passed the test of time. All organizations in Armenia are registered and operate under the laws of the Republic of Armenia."