Armenians Hold Large Anti-Government March

VOA News
12 Apr 2004, 23:54 UTC

Opposition members protest holding Armenian flags in Yerevan, Monday,
April 12, 2004 Thousands of anti-government demonstrators marched in
downtown Yerevan Monday, demanding Armenian President Robert Kocharian
resign.Police kept the marchers away from the presidential palace.

Many of the demonstrators held signs calling Mr. Kocharian an
illegitimate president. They say he was re-elected in March, 2003 in a
rigged vote. They are also demanding the government allow a
no-confidence referendum on the Kocharian government.

International observers have said the presidential vote and a May,
2003 parliamentary vote fell short of international standards for a
fair election.

Armenian opposition leaders hope to launch a bloodless popular
uprising similar to the one in November in neighboring Georgia that
forced President Eduard Shevardnadze to resign.