ARMENIA’S ELECTIONS MET INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS, SOLANA SAYS

PanARMENIAN.Net
14.05.2007 17:40 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ EU High Representative for Common Foreign and
Security Policy, Javier Solana, praised the Armenian people for showing
political maturity through the largely fair elections held on Saturday.

"I congratulate the people of Armenia on the improvements in the
conduct of the parliamentary elections yesterday, which were conducted
largely in accordance with OSCE and Council of Europe commitments,
and I encourage the Armenian government to rapidly address the
shortcomings identified by international observers," said Solana in
a statement Monday.

"This is good news for EU-Armenia relations, in particular as they
were the first elections after Armenia and the EU agreed last year
on a wide-reaching Action Plan. The Armenian people have demonstrated
greater political maturity through these elections. I am confident that
Armenia and the EU will continue to develop relations in a spirit of
partnership. This will also be a positive signal to other countries
in the region," he said.

The Republican Party of Armenia led by Prime Minister Serge Sargsyan,
Prosperous Armenia party led by entrepreneur Gagik Tsarukyan, AFR
Dashnaktsutyun, Orinats Yerkir party led by former RA NA speaker
Artur Baghdassaryan and Heritage party led by Armenia’s first Foreign
Minister Raffi K. Hovannisian garnered over 5% of votes in May 12
parliamentary election.