Interfax
May 5 2004
Armenian opposition hails PACE’s call against violence
Yerevan. May 4 (Interfax) – The Armenian opposition has praised the
Council of Europe’s appeal to the country’s authorities to refrain
from using force and conducting arrests.
The opposition’s stance was unveiled at a Tuesday rally staged in
downtown Yerevan by the Justice, National Unity, and Communist
Parties.
Commenting on last week’s discussions by the Parliamentary Assembly
of the Council of Europe of the political situation in Armenia and a
resolution adopted by PACE, former Armenian Prime Minister Aram
Sarkisian said that opposition members “no longer hold a monopoly
over their demands, since the Armenian authorities face the same
demands from the Council of Europe.”
The opposition is ready for a dialogue, Sarkisian said, adding that
“it, however, should address the main issue, namely the resignation
of incumbent President Robert Kocharian.”
The rally’s organizers put the event’s turnout at 40,000, a figure
far exceeding the 6,000 reported by law enforcement agencies.