RULING PARTY WINS GENERAL ELECTION

>From Times Wire Reports
Los Angeles Times, CA
May 14 2007

Pro-presidential parties won a large majority in the Armenian
parliamentary election, a poll that monitors said was fair and which
confirmed support for the prime minister.

The Republican Party, led by Prime Minister Serge Sargsyan, won
control of about 40% of the 131 seats in parliament.

Sargsyan, a 52-year-old former welder and a trusted lieutenant of
President Robert Kocharyan, previously served as defense minister.

This was the first election the former Soviet republic has held that
Western observers said was fair.

The 2003 parliamentary election was described as below democratic
standards.

On Wednesday police fired tear gas to break up an opposition rally
in central Yerevan, where demonstrators had protested against what
they said would be a rigged election.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress