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CURRENT PM 'WINS' ARMENIAN POLL
BBC NEWS
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/world/e urope/7254121.stm
2008/02/20 11:06:13 GMT
Armenian Prime Minister Serge Sarkisian has won fiercely-contested
presidential polls in the former Soviet republic, a complete
preliminary count shows.
Election officials said Mr Sarkisian led with 52.9% of the vote, with
his nearest rival, ex-President Levon Ter-Petrosian, trailing on 21.5%.
The results suggest that Mr Sarkisian wins outright, avoiding
a run-off.
But Mr Ter-Petrosian said Tuesday's vote had been rigged, calling
for a protest rally in the capital Yerevan.
Mr Ter-Petrosian's supporters are already gathering in the city,
the BBC's Matthew Collin in Yerevan says.
Turnout was nearly 70% of 2.3m eligible voters, Armenia's election
commission said. Seven other candidates were also in the race.
'Violations'
Mr Sarkisian is a close ally of outgoing President Robert Kocharian,
and the election was initially expected to be a smooth handover of
power to Mr Sarkisian.
But Mr Ter-Petrosian - Armenia's president between 1991 and 1998 -
surprised experts with a lively and outspoken campaign, and now
insists he is the real winner.
"Very dirty things are happening," Mr Ter-Petrosian said after voting,
alleging that the election had been rigged.
The Armenian authorities have strongly denied manipulating the
election process.
Observers from the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe
(OSCE) - who were monitoring the vote - are expected to announce
their assessment of the election later on Wednesday.
An observer mission from a Russia-led group of former Soviet republics
said the elections were "free and open", Russia's Itar-Tass news
agency reported.
Although small, Armenia is regarded as strategically important -
lying between the energy-rich Caspian Sea and the gas and oil markets
of southern Europe.
Correspondents say the main issues for Armenians are tackling
unemployment and resolving long-running disputes with neighbouring
Turkey and Azerbaijan, both of which have closed their borders with
Armenia.
BBC NEWS
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/world/e urope/7254121.stm
2008/02/20 11:06:13 GMT
Armenian Prime Minister Serge Sarkisian has won fiercely-contested
presidential polls in the former Soviet republic, a complete
preliminary count shows.
Election officials said Mr Sarkisian led with 52.9% of the vote, with
his nearest rival, ex-President Levon Ter-Petrosian, trailing on 21.5%.
The results suggest that Mr Sarkisian wins outright, avoiding
a run-off.
But Mr Ter-Petrosian said Tuesday's vote had been rigged, calling
for a protest rally in the capital Yerevan.
Mr Ter-Petrosian's supporters are already gathering in the city,
the BBC's Matthew Collin in Yerevan says.
Turnout was nearly 70% of 2.3m eligible voters, Armenia's election
commission said. Seven other candidates were also in the race.
'Violations'
Mr Sarkisian is a close ally of outgoing President Robert Kocharian,
and the election was initially expected to be a smooth handover of
power to Mr Sarkisian.
But Mr Ter-Petrosian - Armenia's president between 1991 and 1998 -
surprised experts with a lively and outspoken campaign, and now
insists he is the real winner.
"Very dirty things are happening," Mr Ter-Petrosian said after voting,
alleging that the election had been rigged.
The Armenian authorities have strongly denied manipulating the
election process.
Observers from the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe
(OSCE) - who were monitoring the vote - are expected to announce
their assessment of the election later on Wednesday.
An observer mission from a Russia-led group of former Soviet republics
said the elections were "free and open", Russia's Itar-Tass news
agency reported.
Although small, Armenia is regarded as strategically important -
lying between the energy-rich Caspian Sea and the gas and oil markets
of southern Europe.
Correspondents say the main issues for Armenians are tackling
unemployment and resolving long-running disputes with neighbouring
Turkey and Azerbaijan, both of which have closed their borders with
Armenia.