PRESCOTT: ONLY CC TO GIVE CONCLUSION ON PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS IN ARMENIA

ARKA
March 6, 2008

YEREVAN, March 6. /ARKA/. Only the Constitutional Court is the one
to establish whether the presidential elections in Armenia were
fair or not, the head of PACE temporary commission John Prescott
(who observed the course of the election) said at his meeting with
the Speaker of Armenian Parliament Tigran Torosian.

The role of Prescott as CE official is to assist CE-member countries
that found themselves in a difficult condition and to provide maximally
democratic involvement in the political life of the country.

If mass demonstrations may destabilize situation, any government
may take appropriate measures to correct it, Prescott said. He also
pointed out that different comments are possible on events, but final
conclusions should be provided by courts.

The CE is to provide an unbiased conclusion of the election process,
such a conclusion has been given immediately after the elections with
the final one to be given after the decree of the Constitutional Court,
Prescott said.

According to him, serious progress has been recorded in terms of
democratic institutions in the country. Yet, he stressed the lack of
confidence toward activities of these institutions.

The ex-president of Armenia who submitted certain requirements to
the Constitutional Court in political aspect should look at the outer
world and say that he wants not war, but peace, Prescott said.

He reported his intention to mention positive steps to be made by
the CE-member country to overcome the situation with stipulation that
none of the sides feels itself defeated.

The Speaker of the Armenian Parliament Tigran Torosian expressed
readiness to discuss measures to improve confidence and tolerance both
in Yerevan and, if required, in Strasburg pointing out that PACE may
play quite a part in settling the situation.

Tuesday the Constitutional Court started considering the statements
of appeal against the results of the presidential elections held
in Armenia on February 19. The applications made by presidential
contenders Levon Ter-Petrosian and Tigran Karapetian are being
considered in joint proceedings.

Saturday morning the Police of Armenia broke up the rally of the
opposition ex-president of Armenia Ter-Petrosian at the Square of
Freedom in downtown Yerevan. After that, the demonstrators moved
to the French Embassy near the Yerevan Municipality where clashes
occurred with the Police and the OMON (emergency platoon).

According to the police report, in the evening the situation became
uncontrolled and the crowd started looting the nearby private and state
facilities. Eight people were killed and 131 injured in the clashes.

On March 1 Armenia’s President imposed a state of emergency on
Yerevan, effective for 20 days, under item 6 paragraph 14 of Article
55, Armenia’s Constitution (threat to the country’s security and
population).

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress