CTK National News Wire, Czech Republic
February 25, 2008 Monday 2:24 PM (Central European Time)

Slovak Foreign Minister calls on Armenia to avoid violence

Yerevan Feb 25 (CTK)

Slovak Foreign Minister Jan Kubis today said it was necessary to
avoid violence at all costs in the heated situation after the
presidential election won by Prime Minister Serzh Sarksyan, the
French news agency AFP reported.

The opposition has been organising demonstrations for six days
against the election’s outcome. It says the vote taken on February 19
was rigged.

Kubis called on both sides of the conflict to maintain peace.

Kubis, who arrived in Armenia also as a representative of the Council
of Europe, advised the government to proceed in a responsible and
reserved manner.

"I hope very much that the tension will not escalate," Kubis said
after meeting his Armenian counterpart Vardan Oskanyan.