ARMENIAN OPPOSITION LEADER SLAMS DISPERSAL OF RALLY

Interfax News Agency
Russia & CIS
March 1, 2008 Saturday
Russia

The Armenian authorities decided to disperse an opposition rally
on Freedom Square in the center of Yerevan on Saturday because they
felt their back against the wall, said first Armenian President and
presidential candidate in recent elections Levon Ter-Petrosian.

"The authorities have cheated the international community by promising
that there would be no violence. The authorities promised numerous
international observers who were in Yerevan that there would be no
dispersal. However, Robert Kocharian and Serzh Sarksyan have failed
to keep their word," Ter-Petrosian said at a press conference in his
residence on Saturday.

"The situation is complicated in that everyone is watching elections
in Russia now. It is my strong conviction that, even if Serzh Sarksyan
becomes president, he cannot be considered a legitimate president. He
will find it very difficult to govern. We have in fact created new
society. The people won’t obey him," Ter-Petrosian said.

He suggested that his supporters would gather on the street again
and that violence would again be used against them.

The opposition plans to appeal to the Yerevan city authorities for
permission to hold rallies and processions, he said.

"Even if we are not granted such permission, we will hold a rally
anyway," Ter-Petrosian said. "Such protest actions can be banned only
in the state of emergency, but no state of emergency or martial law
has been imposed. We will employ all possible peaceful methods of
protest," he said.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress