RUSSIA’S PUTIN INVITES NEW ARMENIAN PM TO MOSCOW
Reuters
March 10 2008
UK
MOSCOW (Reuters) – Russian President Vladimir Putin has invited
Armenian Prime Minister Serzh Sarksyan, winner of a disputed
presidential election, to visit Moscow, news agencies quoted the
Kremlin press service as saying on Monday.
Armenian President Robert Kocharyan imposed a state of emergency on
March 1 during street battles between police and protesters which
killed eight people.
The protesters say Kocharyan rigged the Feb. 19 election for his ally
Sarksyan, who officially won with 53 percent of the vote against 21.5
percent for his nearest rival, former president Levon Ter-Petrosyan.
On Saturday Armenia’s constitutional court upheld the result of
the election.
"The invitation was accepted with gratitude," RIA-Novosti quoted the
Kremlin as saying. It did not say when Sarksyan would visit Moscow.
Ter-Petrosyan has previously said he will continue protests after the
end of the 20-day emergency rule. Both sides have refused to negotiate.
Western powers have urged Armenia to lift the emergency laws and on
Monday Kocharyan did lift minor provisions of the laws. But soldiers
still patrol the streets of Yerevan, public meetings are still banned
and an information blackout remains in force.
Russia is ex-Soviet Armenia’s largest foreign investor.
Armenia lies on the edge of the volatile Caucasus region across which
runs a pipeline pumping oil from Asia to Europe. Any instability in
Armenia is considered a threat to regional stability.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
