TALVITIE CALLS FOR ARMENIAN DIALOGUE

Middle East Times
March 14 2008
Egypt

VIENNA, March 13 (UPI) — OSCE officials are calling on the
U.S. government to end the Armenian conflict with opposition leaders.

Special envoy of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in
Europe chairman-in-office, Ambassador Heikki Talvitie, is calling
on Armenian government leaders to open discussions with opposition
leader Levon Ter-Petrosyan. Outgoing Armenian President Robert
Kocharyan imposed emergency law recently after violence broke out
between police and protesters who say President-elect Serge Sargsyan
rigged the recent election.

Talvitie recently traveled to the Armenia in an effort diffuse the
destabilized situation. Thursday he again called for the lifting of
the emergency rule, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in
Europe reported.

"The inauguration of the elected president is approaching," Talvitie
said in a statement. "In this situation, I think that the government
should get rid of its state of emergency and start a real political
dialogue with the opposition."

Riots in the capital city of Yerevan have led to several deaths.

Talvitie is calling for political dialogue and for a lift of the
state of emergency as soon as possible.