Armenia opposition turns down dialogue with ruling majority

ITAR-TASS, Russia
May 14 2004

YEREVAN, May 14 (Itar-Tass) — The Armenian opposition has refused
to hold the dialogue with the ruling parliamentary majority.

The propresidential coalition in turn did not want to use the word
crisis to describe the situation in the country after the last year’s
presidential elections.

The coalition also has proposed to the opposition joining the lawmaking
process, in particular taking part in debate of changes to the election
code and the constitution.

“The coalition is thus is trying to create an imitation of the return
of the opposition to the parliament,” a member of the oppositionist
parliamentary faction Justice, Shavarsh Kocharyan, said.

The opposition warned that it would not resume the dialogue until
all of its activists are freed from detention prisons.