ARMENIAN OFFICIAL SAYS EX-LEADER MAY BE TRIED OVER RIOTS

Mediamax
March 4 2008
Armenia

Yerevan, 4 March: Spokesman of the Armenian president Viktor
Soghomonyan did not rule out the likelihood of bringing to criminal
responsibility the ex-President Levon Ter-Petrosyan for the mass
unrest in Yerevan on 1 March, which led to human losses.

"All the organizers, instigators and executors of the unrest
will be punished to full severity of the law",Viktor Soghomonyan
stated, answering the question on the possibility of bringing Levon
Ter-Petrosyan to criminalresponsibility.

Mediamax reports that the spokesman of the president refuted the
statements on the "house arrest" of theex-president.

"On 1 March, the minister of foreign affairs of Armenia already talked
about this – State Protection Serviceconsiders it inexpedient for
Ter-Petrosyan to leave his house. However, he can sign any time the
document on renouncing the services of state protection and in that
case no one will hinder his movement", Viktor Soghomonyan stated.

The spokesman of the president noted that "the soon abolition of
the state of emergency meets the interests ofall the citizens of
Armenia". Noting that the decree on state of emergency was signed by
the president on 1 Marchfor the term of 20 days, Viktor Soghomonyan
stated that the decision on possible abolition of the state of
emergencyprior to the given date will depend on the "development of
the situation".

Viktor Soghomonyan refuted the statements, according to which in
reality the number of victims of 1 March events was more than eight
people.

"This is another blatant lie, which we evidenced repeatedly in the
course of the recent few months. The very liewas the basis for the
pre-election campaign of Ter-Petrosyan", Viktor Soghomonyan stressed.

Spokesman of the Armenian president refuted the statements and the
claims of Ter-Petrosyan, according to which heallegedly held talks
with the authorities at night between 1 and 2 March.

"This is another lie. I believe that in the course of the nearest few
days you will have the opportunity tocommunicate with the president
of Armenia, and I propose you to ask the question on those claims
of Ter-Petrosyan to thepresident. I am sure that he will have some
things to tell you", Viktor Soghomonyan told the journalists.