Euronews.net, France
May 13 2007

Armenian elections are a "vast democratic improvement"

Armenia’s parliamentary elections have been lorded as a "vast
democratic improvement", as pro-presidential parties took the
majority of the votes.

The monitoring team from The Organisation for Security and
Co-operation in Europe said the elections were a development in
democracy on the previous, 2003, vote.

Republican party leader and present Prime Minister, Serge Sargysan,
is the likely winner in the polls with a projected 40 per cent.

The vote is seen as a dress rehersal for the presidental election
next year.

Armenia is a mountainous, land-locked, country and part of the former
Soviet Union. It has emerged as a potential major transit route for
oil from Central Asia into Europe.

This vote was marred by some violence, including an attempt to kill a
senior member of the Republican party.
From: Baghdasarian