ARMENIAN AUTHORITIES EXPLAIN THEIR ACTIONS TO FOREIGN DIPLOMATS
Interfax News Agency
Russia & CIS
March 2, 2008 Sunday
Russia
Head of the Armenian presidential office Armen Gevorkian at a Sunday
meeting with ambassadors of OSCE countries and representatives of
international organizations expressed the determination of the
authorities to hold accountable the organizers of mass rioting
in Yerevan.
At the presidential press service, Interfax was told that Gevokian
explained to the ambassadors the reasons for the actions of the
authorities and the introduction of the state of emergency in Yerevan.
"The ambassadors were told that the Armenian authorities took every
step to maintain law and order in Yerevan and stop the illegal actions
of the protesters," the press service said.
On Saturday morning, police dispersed a rally of supporters of
presidential candidate Levon Ter-Petrosian.
The protesters moved to an area adjacent to the embassies of France
and Italy, where up to 10,000 people rallied. Police reported that,
by the evening, the situation had become uncontrollable and the crowd
had started looting nearby government institutions and private shops,
setting cars ablaze in the process.
An end was put to the rioting after a state of emergency was introduced
in Yerevan by a presidential decree.
According to the Health Ministry, eight people died in the unrest on
Saturday night.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
