Agence France Presse — English
May 13, 2007 Sunday 10:13 AM GMT

OSCE hails Armenia parliamentary vote

Armenia’s parliamentary election this weekend was a "clear
improvement" over previous polls in the former Soviet republic, the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe said Sunday.

"These elections were a clear improvement, and that is good for
Armenian democracy," OSCE election observation coordinator Tone
Tingsgaard said in a statement.

Western governments had put intense pressure on Armenia to improve on
previous elections, which were marred by accusations of fraud and
voter intimidation.

The OSCE "commended steps taken by the Armenian authorities to
address serious shortcomings, including amendments to the election
code. The election campaign was dynamic with extensive media
coverage," the statement said.

It added, however, that "some issues remain unaddressed," and noted
"isolated cases of deliberate falsifications."

The conclusion was a triumph for President Robert Kocharian and his
supporters, who swept the vote, according to preliminary results of
Saturday’s election.

This small country wedged between Turkey and Iran relies heavily on
foreign aid, which the United States had threatened to cut if the
elections were judged fraudulent.

Such cuts could be disastrous for Armenia, where more than 30 percent
of people live on less than two dollars (1.50 euros) a day.

Earlier Sunday, opposition parties rejected the vote and vowed to
launch protests that afternoon.

No Armenian election has been judged free and fair since the country
became independent with the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.