Regnum, Russia
Jan 18 2008

US embassy refused to conduct exit polls at presidential election in
Armenia

The US embassy to Armenia and the USAID has decided not to conduct
exit polls at the presidential election in Armenia.

As REGNUM was told at the US embassy press office, the decision was
stipulated by the fact that the International Republican Institute
and Baltic Surveys Ltd/Gallup failed to agree on all procedural
issues after intensive and detailed discussions and to find a
solution that would suit all parties.

`We will continue sticking to the idea that exit polls can be a
useful means regarding raising transparency and confidence in the
election. Taking into account limited time for organization process
and questions raised by various political figures, we have made a
decision that it would have more sense that we do not conduct such
poll as there are problems in conducting it that can result in
negative processes in the political dispute,’ says a statement of the
US embassy.