ARMENIAN EX-LEADER SAYS STRUGGLE TO CONTINUE

Mediamax
April 11 2008
Armenia

Yerevan, 11 April: Armenia’s ex-President Levon Ter-Petrosyan has
sharply criticized the West and accused it of using "double standards",
read the ex-president’s statement that was circulated in the evening
of 10 April.

Regime receives blessing of "civilized world"

Ter-Petrosyan, who came second in the [19] February presidential
election, said [in the statement] that "the kleptocratic regime
changed its leader in Armenia on 9 April with the blessing of ‘the
civilized world’".

President Serzh Sargsyan’s inauguration was held in Yerevan on 9 April.

"The West confined itself to statements that were outwardly sharp but
in fact empty and irresponsible, thus willingly or unwillingly making
for the reproduction of the criminal authorities of Armenia. Guided
by political motives and double standards, European organizations
took the side of the illegitimate regime, but not of Armenia’s new
civil society that was inspired by the ideas of democracy, freedom
and law-governed state. With the aim to weaken Armenia’s position in
the Karabakh settlement process, the West has preferred to have in
our country a dictatorship that has vulnerable legitimacy rather than
the authorities enjoying people’s confidence," said the ex-president
who ruled the country in 1991-98.

Call on supporters to stop hunger strike to continue struggle

Ter-Petrosyan called on his supporters, who were arrested and detained
on suspicion of organizing mass disturbances on 1 March that resulted
in the eight deaths, to stop their hunger strike.

"Your health, unshakable will and determination are required to
continue the nation-wide struggle. 9 April is not the end, but the
beginning of the sacred struggle and political manifestation of this
struggle will soon be visible to our society. I have no doubt that
the continuation of the nation-wide movement will force the world
community to change its attitude to our state," the ex-president said.