UNITED NATIONS Press Release
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NOON BRIEFING

Armine Halajyan (Mrs.)
Officer-in-charge / Information Officer
UN Department of Public Information
Yerevan Office (Armenia)
Tel.: (374 10) 560 212
Fax/Tel.: (374 10) 561 406
Mobile: (374 91) 20 37 25

BY MICHELE MONTAS
SPOKESPERSON FOR SECRETARY-GENERAL BAN KI-MOON

UN HEADQUARTERS, NEW YORK

Monday, March 3, 2008

ARMENIA’S POLITICAL VIOLENCE HAS BAN KI-MOON `DEEPLY CONCERNED’

The Secretary-General is deeply concerned about the violent clashes
between police forces and demonstrators in Armenia over the weekend.

It is his hope that these events, during which eight people died, will
be thoroughly investigated.

The Secretary-General calls on all parties to exercise full restraint
and to find a way out of the current crisis. He also urges the Armenian
authorities to take all necessary steps to ensure a return to normalcy,
including through a speedy lifting of the state of emergency.

High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour issued a statement
yesterday and expressed particular concern about reports of the use of
force against peaceful demonstrators and the detention of opposition
protestors. She called upon the authorities to exercise the utmost
restraint and ensure that due process is followed.