Moscow considers Armenia's plans to join the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) "absolutely unacceptable" in response to the "illegal orders" for the arrest of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Children's Ombudsman Maria Lvova-Belova. This was reported to TASS and RIA Novosti on 27 March by a source in the Foreign Ministry. 
"Moscow considers Armenia's plans to join the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court absolutely unacceptable in the wake of the ICC's recent unlawful and legally insignificant 'orders' against the Russian leadership," the TASS and RIA Novosti source was quoted as saying. Yerevan has already been warned of the "extremely negative" consequences of such steps for Armenia's bilateral relations with Russia, the agency's interlocutor noted. 
Earlier, Armenia's Constitutional Court recognised the obligations under the Rome Statute, which is in line with the country's Basic Law. Court Chairman Arman Dilanyan said that the Court's decision was final and would come into force once published. Parliament will then have to ratify the Rome Statute. 
On 28 March, Gagik Melkonyan, a member of the ruling Civil Contract faction in the Armenian National Assembly and former Minister of Defence, responded to journalists' questions about the possibility of arresting Russian President Vladimir Putin during his visit to Yerevan. Melkonyan said the country's authorities would fulfil their obligations under the Rome Statute. "First of all, Putin will not come to Armenia and he will not be arrested. It is better for Putin to stay in his own country. As for us, if we are part of these agreements, we have to fulfil our obligations. Let Russia solve its own problems with Ukraine. I don't want Putin to come to Armenia. If we have already signed this document, then it's better that he doesn't come to Armenia. If he does, he should be arrested, but he knows that and he will not want to come," he said.