6 ETHNIC ARMENIANS ELECTED TO LEBANESE PARLIAMENT

/PanARMENIAN.Net/
08.06.2009 16:44 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ 6 ethnic Armenians representing all three Armenian
parties functioning in Lebanon were elected to the country’s parliament
on June 7. "Although these parties are working separately, they will
defend the interest of the Armenian community on a common ground,"
Shahan Kandaharian, editor-in-chief of Beirut-based Azdak newspaper
told PanARMENIAN.Net. Commenting on the situation in the country,
he said no considerable changes are expected. "Generally, the
authorities and opposition tend to seek a way out of the domestic
crisis. Formation of independent parliamentary factions will be the
right decision," he said. Preliminary results, reported on Lebanese
television, showed the alliance, known as the March 14 coalition,
had managed to preserve its majority in parliament – representing
a significant and unexpected defeat for Hezbollah and its allies,
Iran and Syria. The coalition victory appeared to have been aided by
nearly unprecedented turnout. The results showed about 55 per cent
of the 3.26 million registered voters cast ballots.