PEACEMAKER PRESCOTT HEADS FOR ARMENIA
Martin Hodgson

The Guardian
Thursday March 6 2008

With a reputation for plain speaking, and the occasional hot-tempered
outburst, John Prescott is perhaps not the first person you would
choose to lead a delicate diplomatic mission.

But the former deputy prime minister is to head a European human
rights delegation to Armenia, to help defuse a growing political
crisis triggered by allegations of electoral fraud.

Prescott will arrive in the Armenian capital, Yerevan, tomorrow for
a two-day visit requested by the president of the Council of Europe’s
parliamentary assembly. He joined the assembly last October as leader
of the UK contingent of 18 Westminster MPs. The former deputy Labour
leader led a team of officials monitoring the disputed presidential
elections in Armenia on February 19.

The Council of Europe said it had arranged the "snap visit" following
the declaration of a state of emergency after clashes between Armenian
troops and protesters this weekend left eight dead and more than
100 injured.

"John Prescott will assess the post-electoral situation and explore
possibilities for defusing the current political crisis and promoting
dialogue," a statement from the Council of Europe said.

Violence flared after riot police raided a protest camp erected by
opposition supporters intent on recreating Ukraine’s Orange revolution
of 2004.

Prescott is due to meet the Armenian political leadership and Levon
Ter-Petrosian, the defeated opposition challenger, who was placed
under house arrest.

Yesterday the European commission called on the Armenian government
to lift the state of emergency declared on March 1.