SARGSYAN INAUGURATED AS ARMENIAN PRESIDENT

Interfax News Agency
April 9 2008
Russia

Serzh Sargsyan took the office of Armenian president on Wednesday.

The inauguration ceremony of the new Armenian president took place
at a special parliamentary session in the Yerevan opera and ballet
theater. The ceremony was attended by Catholicos Karekin II, the
Armenian political elite, and officials from foreign missions.

Sargsyan took the oath with his right hand on the Bible and the
Armenian constitution, after which he delivered a program speech.

Sargsyan inaugurated as Armenian president (Part 2)

YEREVAN April 9

Serzh Sargsyan took the office of Armenian president on Wednesday.

The inauguration ceremony of the new Armenian president took place
at a special parliamentary session in the Yerevan opera and ballet
theater. The ceremony was attended by Catholicos Karekin II of All
Armenians, the Armenian political elite, and officials from foreign
missions.

Sargsyan took the oath with his right hand on the Bible and the
Armenian constitution, after which he delivered a program speech.

The first time in Armenian history, all the services of the Armenian
armed forces for took an oath of loyalty to the president as the new
commander-in-chief, and a small military parade took place on Freedom
Square adjacent to the theater.

The presidential inauguration ceremony was broadcast live on national
television. Journalists could see the ceremony on TV screens in a
special room.

A balloon show will take place in central Yerevan on Wednesday evening.

Sargsyan was Armenian prime minister before he won presidential
elections on February 19, in which nine candidates were running.

Before his appointment as prime minister, Sargsyan was defense
minister.