THE WORLD CONSIDERS THE ISSUE OF THE ARMENIAN ELECTIONS EXHAUSTED
`HAYOTS ASHKHARH’
Published on February 22, 2008
As shown by the clear-cut assessments made by a great number of
international observation missions on the day following the
presidential elections, the international community recognizes the
results of the voting held in Armenia. It means that our country
already has a legitimate President elected through the expression of
the free will of the majority of its people.
The February 19 presidential elections were not only characterized as
`free and fair’ by the CIS observers, but also received the positive
assessments of the Western observation missions. Even the observation
mission of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, which stands out in terms
of its strict and meticulous attitude towards the electoral processes
held in the former USSR territory, clearly recorded that, `The
presidential elections held in Armenia on February 19 were mostly in
line with the commitments to the OSCE and the Council of Europe. The
senior state officials made real efforts towards the elimination of the
flaws observed during the past elections, including the legislative
field, and periodically insisted that they intended to hold democratic
elections.’
It is noteworthy that the representatives of the Western observation
missions are from now on almost ruling out any real possibility of
essential differences between their preliminary and final assessments.
In this connection, Gert Arens, Head of the long-term observation
mission of the OSCE Office for Democratic Institutions and Human
Rights, made the following statement on February 20, `As shown by the
experience of the past, there doesn’t often emerge the necessity of
making any changes in or corrections to the preliminary statements. All
the 4 international organizations have agreed on the principal
assessment submitted.’ The congratulatory messages received by S.
Sargsyan on February 20 also testify to the recognition of the election
results by the international community. Vladimir Putin, President of
the Russian Federation is, as always, among the first officials
congratulating the new leader of Armenia. However, in the current
`parade of congratulations’, French President Nicolas Sarkozy has
appeared on top of all. His congratulatory address is the first not
only in time aspect but also in terms of the abundance of kind wishes,
`The significant advantage You had at the very first stage of the
voting testifies to the support You enjoy in your country,’ the
President of France wrote.
The warm and sincere congratulations of the President of France, a
country considered as Armenia’s protector, testify that the
international community has not only recognized the results of the
February 19 presidential elections, but also rules out the possibility
of reviewing them.
This is not at all a formal step of congratulating the Armenian Prime
Minister on the occasion of being elected a President. It is rather an
undisguised hint to all those who have not yet put up with the voting
results in our country. By this, the Western community not only
clarifies the preferences it has in Armenia but also lays a specific
kind of `political obstacle’ to the possible steps of disputing the
election results through a confrontation.
They make it clear to the Opposition representatives, currently
attempting to exacerbate the country’s political situation, that the
issue of the presidential elections held on February 19, 2008 is
already exhausted for the West.
In the post-election period, the representatives of the CIS observation
missions, in particular, Kostan Zatoulin, Parliamentarian of the State
Duma and Head of the CIS Institute of Russia, have already made
speeches from the same starting point.
It is significant that only L. Ter-Petrosyan and Azerbaijan currently
express dissatisfaction with the positive assessments made by the
international observation missions, particularly, the OSCE Office for
Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, with regard to the
presidential elections of Armenia.
As for the international community, by its clear-cut positive
assessments regarding the February 19 elections, it has exhausted the
issue of clarifying the personality of the Armenian President both for
itself and for us. The train has already left, and no one can catch it
any longer; therefore, in vain do some people think that it is possible
to turn back the wheel of history by such methods. Armenia is entering
the post-election stage envisaging political discussions and agreements
in connection with the formation of the new Government.
Any attempt aiming to dispute the results of the elections that are
already over may hereafter be not only ineffective but also harmful to
our country and people. It may produce a negative impact not only on
the internal political situation, but also greatly harm Armenia’s
reputation and rating.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
