ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY HAS NO INTENTION TO PERSECUTE DIPLOMATS FOR THEIR POLITICAL VIEWS

ARKA
Feb 26, 2008

YEREVAN, February 26. /ARKA/. Armenian Foreign Ministry has no
intention to persecute diplomats for their political views, Armenian
Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian.

Oskanian said that, as a rule, the ministry is aware of its employees’
political views, but doesn’t want to persecute them.

The minister said that some allegations that Armenian diplomats are
stripped of their ranks because of their political views are baseless.

He said that the diplomats were dismissed because they had their
terms expired.

The ministry’s seven employees, including Spokesman Vladimir
Karapetyan, supported former Armenian president Levon Ter-Petrosyan.

Earlier Deputy Foreign Minister Armen Bayburdyan, Armenian Ambassador
to Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan Levin Khachatryan, Ambassador to Italia,
Portugal and Spain Ruben Shugaryan were recalled and stripped of
their diplomatic ranks.

PM Serge Sargsyan has won presidency by scoring 862369 or 52.82%
of votes.

His key rival, former Armenian president Levon Ter-Petrosyan, followed
him with 351222 votes (21.5%).