The Statesman (India)
February 22, 2008 Friday

ARMENIA PM WINS PREZ POLLS

Yerevan, Feb. 20: Armenia’s Prime Minister Serzh Sarkisian has won
the country’s presidential election, thecentral election commission
today said, but his opponents cried foul and vowed to stage a mass
protest. A finalpreliminary count of the vote gave Sarkisian 52.9 per
cent, elections commission spokesman Garegin Azarian said.

He was trailed by former president Levon Ter-Petrosian with 21.5 per
cent and former parliament speaker ArturBaghdasarian with 16.6 per
cent, Azarian said. The poll victory clears the way for 53-year-old
Sarkisian to take overfrom his close ally, outgoing President Robert
Kocharian.

Kocharian wasted no time in congratulating his protoge. "I
congratulate you from my heart on your convincingvictory in the
presidential election," Kocharian said in a statement. He said the
vote had been "free andfair".