U.S. HELSINKI COMMISSION SET TO HOLD "ARMENIA AFTER THE ELECTION" HEARING TODAY

PanARMENIAN.Net
17.04.2008 17:41 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Congressman Alcee L. Hastings (D-FL), Chairman of
the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (U.S. Helsinki
Commission) and Co-Chairman Senator Benjamin L. Cardin (D-MD), will
hold a hearing entitled, "Armenia after the Election," on Thursday,
April 17 at 2:00 p.m. in room B-318 of the Rayburn House Office
Building.

"Since the February 19 presidential election, Armenia has experienced
its most serious political crisis in over a decade. The March 1
confrontation between the authorities and supporters of the opposition
resulted in at least eight fatalities and the imposition of a state of
emergency, causing serious damage to Armenia’s reputation. Although
Prime Minister Serzh Sarkissian has been elected President, some
opposition leaders refuse to recognize the outcome and government
opposition relations remain tense. The state of emergency has been
lifted but restrictions on freedom of assembly continue in effect,"
says the text published on the Commission’s website.

The hearing will focus on the ramifications of these developments for
Armenia and the United States, especially the ongoing Organization
for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) negotiations on
Nagorno Karabakh and Armenia s qualifications for assistance from
the Millennium Challenge Account.

The hearing will be attended by Mr. Matthew Bryza, Deputy
Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs,
Mr. Vigen Sargsian, Assistant to the President of the Republic of
Armenia, Mr. Arman Grigorian, Spokesman for former President Levon
Ter-Petrossian.