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PRESCOTT LEADS ARMENIA PEACE TRIP
BBC NEWS
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/world/e urope/7280872.stm
2008/03/06 14:03:22 GMT
Ex-deputy prime minister John Prescott is heading a diplomatic mission
aimed at defusing Armenia's political crisis.
A state of emergency has been in force in the capital, Yerevan, since
1 March, after violence erupted amid allegations of vote-rigging in
recent elections.
Mr Prescott is visiting as a member of the Council of Europe's
Parliamentary Assembly, which he joined in October.
He will meet outgoing president Robert Kocharian and president-elect
Serzh Sarkisian during his two-day trip.
The crisis followed recent presidential elections, in which the prime
minister, Mr Sarkisian, won a large majority.
The main opposition leader and former president, Levon Ter-Petrosian,
claims the election was rigged.
At the time of the elections on 19 February, John Prescott headed a
similar delegation which travelled around Armenia, observing the poll.
They judged the election to have been generally democratic, but said
there had been some problems with the counting of votes.
Official election results in Armenia gave Serzh Sarkisian 53% of the
vote, and Levon Ter-Petrosian 21.5%.
The Council of Europe has sent Mr Prescott back to Armenia on what
it calls a "snap visit", concerned by the violence and the imposition
of the state of emergency.
The aim is to "assess the post-electoral situation... and explore
possibilities for defusing the current political crisis and promoting
dialogue", the Council said in a statement.
Mr Prescott will also meet defeated candidate Levon Ter-Petrosian.
Opposition anger
The crisis in Armenia began when opposition demonstrators responded to
electoral defeat with 11 days of mass demonstrations in the capital,
setting up barricades in Yerevan's city centre.
The government declared the protests were illegal, and on 1 March
police fought pitched battles with demonstrators on the streets.
Eight people who had been demonstrating in support of the defeated
opposition candidate, Levon Ter-Petrosian, were killed. About 100
others were injured in the violence.
Mr Ter-Petrosian was placed under house arrest, but has been allowed
out to attend proceedings at the Constitutional Court to challenge
the election results.
Mr Prescott joined the parliamentary assembly of the Council of Europe
last October, as leader of the UK contingent of 18 Westminster MPs.
The Council of Europe is a body founded in 1949 to promote democratic
ideals and human rights in Europe, and is not part of the apparatus
of the European Union.
BBC NEWS
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/world/e urope/7280872.stm
2008/03/06 14:03:22 GMT
Ex-deputy prime minister John Prescott is heading a diplomatic mission
aimed at defusing Armenia's political crisis.
A state of emergency has been in force in the capital, Yerevan, since
1 March, after violence erupted amid allegations of vote-rigging in
recent elections.
Mr Prescott is visiting as a member of the Council of Europe's
Parliamentary Assembly, which he joined in October.
He will meet outgoing president Robert Kocharian and president-elect
Serzh Sarkisian during his two-day trip.
The crisis followed recent presidential elections, in which the prime
minister, Mr Sarkisian, won a large majority.
The main opposition leader and former president, Levon Ter-Petrosian,
claims the election was rigged.
At the time of the elections on 19 February, John Prescott headed a
similar delegation which travelled around Armenia, observing the poll.
They judged the election to have been generally democratic, but said
there had been some problems with the counting of votes.
Official election results in Armenia gave Serzh Sarkisian 53% of the
vote, and Levon Ter-Petrosian 21.5%.
The Council of Europe has sent Mr Prescott back to Armenia on what
it calls a "snap visit", concerned by the violence and the imposition
of the state of emergency.
The aim is to "assess the post-electoral situation... and explore
possibilities for defusing the current political crisis and promoting
dialogue", the Council said in a statement.
Mr Prescott will also meet defeated candidate Levon Ter-Petrosian.
Opposition anger
The crisis in Armenia began when opposition demonstrators responded to
electoral defeat with 11 days of mass demonstrations in the capital,
setting up barricades in Yerevan's city centre.
The government declared the protests were illegal, and on 1 March
police fought pitched battles with demonstrators on the streets.
Eight people who had been demonstrating in support of the defeated
opposition candidate, Levon Ter-Petrosian, were killed. About 100
others were injured in the violence.
Mr Ter-Petrosian was placed under house arrest, but has been allowed
out to attend proceedings at the Constitutional Court to challenge
the election results.
Mr Prescott joined the parliamentary assembly of the Council of Europe
last October, as leader of the UK contingent of 18 Westminster MPs.
The Council of Europe is a body founded in 1949 to promote democratic
ideals and human rights in Europe, and is not part of the apparatus
of the European Union.