ROBERT KOCHARIAN STATED THAT THE AUTHORITIES DID NOT PLAN TO DISPERSE THE RALLY OF TER-PETROSIAN’S SUPPORTERS

Mediamax
March 5, 2008

Yerevan /Mediamax/. Armenian President Robert Kocharian stated in
Yerevan today that the authorities did not plan to disperse the rally
of Ter-Petrosian’s supporters at the Opera Square on March 1.

Mediamax reports that, speaking at a news conference in Yerevan today,
Robert Kocharian stated that the policemen entered the Square early
in the morning on March 1 with the request to carry out a search and
liquidation of the tents, which hindered the law-enforcement bodies
realizing operative work.

According to the President, the decision on emptying the square from
the demonstrators was made as a result of furious resistance of the
rally participants.

"I often ask myself a question: maybe one should hot have born the
illegal rally for ten days? I think that if the square was emptied on
the second day, or the third, we would have avoided the consequences,
which we have today. However, the authorities did not take that step,
since recount of votes was in process, and actions with the use of
force could have been interpreted as pressure. We planned to take up
active actions only in case the illegal actions continued after the
verdict of the Constitutional Court", the Armenian President stated.

Commenting on the words of Levon Ter-Petrosian, according to which
after March 21 he plans to continue the struggle my means of holding
rallies and demonstrations, Robert Kocharian stated that "in case
of realization of unapproved actions, we will respond strictly and
right away".