Vartan Oskanian: "If the leader of the protestors does not call them to
order, Armenian President will be forced to announce a state of
emergency"
March 1, 2008
Yerevan /Mediamax/. Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian refuted
today the information of victims as a result of the morning dispersal
of rally of Levon Ter-Petrosian’s supporters.
Mediamax reports that Vartan Oskanian said this at a special briefing
today, called in the building of the Presidential Administration. He
informed that, according to the information of the Healthcare Ministry,
31 people turned to hospitals, 6 of which – police employees. There
is no threat to the lives of the injured.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia refuted the statements
on excessive use of force in the process of dispersal of
the rally. According to Vartan Oskanian, the first column of the
policemen, which entered the Square, aimed at checking the received
operative information on the presence of a large quantity of arms and
explosives at the Square. The Minister stated that after the column
was attacked by the protestors, special forces of the Police had to
start an operation on emptying the Square.
"Use of force was of adequate nature, and this is evidenced by the
absence of serious injuries", Vartan Oskanian stated.
Talking about the situation, which is present near the French
Embassy, where Ter-Petrosian’s supporters are forming barricades,
Vartan Oskanian stated that "all the decrees are already ready,
and if the leader of the protestors does not call them to order,
the President will be forced to announce a state of emergency",
Vartan Oskanian stated.