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ARMENIAN FOREIGN MINISTER SAYS PRESIDENT READY TO DECLARE STATE OF EMERGENCY
Mediamax
March 1 2008
Armenia
Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan has warned that President
Robert Kocharyan may be forced to introduce astate of emergency,
the Mediamax news agency reported on 1 March.
Referring to the situation near the French embassy in Yerevan where
thousands of opposition supporters havereportedly gathered and are
building barricades, Oskanyan told a briefing in the presidential
administration, "All the decrees are ready, and if the leader of the
demonstrators fails to bring them to order, then the head of state
will be forced to declare a state of emergency."
Oskanyan denied that police had used excessive force when dispersing
a rally by supporters of former President Levon Ter-Petrosyan on
Yerevan's Freedom Square early on 1 March. Mediamax quoted Oskanyan
as saying that the firstcolumn of police officers who entered the
square were seeking to confirm reports that large quantities of arms
andexplosives were stored there. Oskanyan said that special police
forces were forced to clear the square after the firstcolumn was
attacked by demonstrators. "The use of force was proportionate in
character, and this is demonstrated bythe absence of serious injuries,"
he said.
Oskanyan quoted Health Ministry information that 31 people had sought
hospital treatment including six policeofficers, and none of the
injuries were life threatening.
Ter-Petrosyan's supporters had been rallying on Freedom Square for ten
days, protesting the result of the 19February presidential election,
which they said was rigged by the authorities.
Oskanyan also denied reports that Ter-Petrosyan himself is under
house arrest. Mediamax quoted him as saying thatTer-Petrosyan is
guarded by officers of the State Guard Service of Armenia.
"Considering that the actions of Ter-Petrosyan's supporters are
now out of control, the State Guard Serviceof Armenia cannot allow
the ex-president to be present where his security cannot be fully
protected," he said.
Oskanyan said that if Ter-Petrosyan refuses in writing the services
of the State Guard Service, he would have"full freedom of action".
Oskanyan said that the country's image had already been damaged,
Mediamax reported. "Now it is necessary tomake efforts to get
out of this situation with minimum losses," he said, adding
that political dialogue was theonly option for resolving the
situation. "I am authorized to state that the offer of cooperation
made bypresident-elect Serzh Sargsyan referred to all the presidential
candidates," he said.
Oskanyan also said that he had discussed the situation in Armenia with
the European Union's specialrepresentative for the South Caucasus,
Peter Semneby, by phone today.
"Peter Semneby was in Armenia last week and his main message was a
call for dialogue which remains in forcetoday," he said. He did not
rule out that Semneby would visit Yerevan.
Mediamax
March 1 2008
Armenia
Armenian Foreign Minister Vardan Oskanyan has warned that President
Robert Kocharyan may be forced to introduce astate of emergency,
the Mediamax news agency reported on 1 March.
Referring to the situation near the French embassy in Yerevan where
thousands of opposition supporters havereportedly gathered and are
building barricades, Oskanyan told a briefing in the presidential
administration, "All the decrees are ready, and if the leader of the
demonstrators fails to bring them to order, then the head of state
will be forced to declare a state of emergency."
Oskanyan denied that police had used excessive force when dispersing
a rally by supporters of former President Levon Ter-Petrosyan on
Yerevan's Freedom Square early on 1 March. Mediamax quoted Oskanyan
as saying that the firstcolumn of police officers who entered the
square were seeking to confirm reports that large quantities of arms
andexplosives were stored there. Oskanyan said that special police
forces were forced to clear the square after the firstcolumn was
attacked by demonstrators. "The use of force was proportionate in
character, and this is demonstrated bythe absence of serious injuries,"
he said.
Oskanyan quoted Health Ministry information that 31 people had sought
hospital treatment including six policeofficers, and none of the
injuries were life threatening.
Ter-Petrosyan's supporters had been rallying on Freedom Square for ten
days, protesting the result of the 19February presidential election,
which they said was rigged by the authorities.
Oskanyan also denied reports that Ter-Petrosyan himself is under
house arrest. Mediamax quoted him as saying thatTer-Petrosyan is
guarded by officers of the State Guard Service of Armenia.
"Considering that the actions of Ter-Petrosyan's supporters are
now out of control, the State Guard Serviceof Armenia cannot allow
the ex-president to be present where his security cannot be fully
protected," he said.
Oskanyan said that if Ter-Petrosyan refuses in writing the services
of the State Guard Service, he would have"full freedom of action".
Oskanyan said that the country's image had already been damaged,
Mediamax reported. "Now it is necessary tomake efforts to get
out of this situation with minimum losses," he said, adding
that political dialogue was theonly option for resolving the
situation. "I am authorized to state that the offer of cooperation
made bypresident-elect Serzh Sargsyan referred to all the presidential
candidates," he said.
Oskanyan also said that he had discussed the situation in Armenia with
the European Union's specialrepresentative for the South Caucasus,
Peter Semneby, by phone today.
"Peter Semneby was in Armenia last week and his main message was a
call for dialogue which remains in forcetoday," he said. He did not
rule out that Semneby would visit Yerevan.