ARMENIAN SECURITY FORCE NEUTRALIZING ARMED GROUPS – PRESIDENT

Interfax
Feb 27 2008
Russia

YEREVAN. Feb 27 (Interfax) – Armenian authorities have taken measures
to neutralize armed units trying to destabilize the situation in
the country following the recent presidential elections, Armenian
President Robert Kocharian said.

"I can say that measures to neutralize criminal groups were pursued
yesterday and today. Large amounts of weapons and ammunition have
been seized. Particular individuals have been detained," Kocharian
said on Armenian Public Television on Tuesday evening.

"What is most dangerous is that part of Yerkrap [an organization of
the Nagorno-Karabakh war veterans] and some other veteran organizations
have been involved in the internal political processes," he said.

In addition, those "responsible for vote rigging during the elections"
have been detained, he said.

"These are not only opposition members. There are members of the
[ruling] Republican Party and other political groups among those
detained," he said.

Law enforcement are also detaining "those who have organized
unsanctioned processions and demonstrations, ignoring interests of
other people," he said.

In particular, residents of the houses adjacent to Freedom Square in
Yerevan, where the opposition has been holding a rally to protest the
official outcomes of the presidential elections, are complaining that
the rally caused them inconvenience, he said.

The law enforcement agencies are taking measures "to provide the
people’s security and calm," Kocharian said.

Armenia held presidential elections on February 19, in which nine
candidates were running. Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan was proclaimed
the winner with 52.82% of the vote given in his support. His principal
contender, first President Levon Ter-Petrosian, gained 21.5% and
Artur Bagdasarian 17.7%.

Since February 20, Ter-Petrosian’s supporters have been holding
protest rallies in Yerevan to demand that the official results of
the vote be invalidated.

Recounts were ordered at some polling stations following complains from
a number of candidates. Central Elections Commission Deputy Chairman
Arutyun Shakhbazian said the recounts did not reveal significant
discrepancies with the already announced results.