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Interfax, Russia
April 30 2011
U.S. Embassy in Armenia denies mediating govt-opposition talks
YEREVAN. April 30
U.S. Embassy in Armenia denies mediating govt-opposition talks
The U.S. Embassy in Yerevan on Saturday denied allegations that it is
mediating talks between Armenia's government and opposition.
U.S. Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch regularly meets with government
officials and senior figures in the Armenian National Congress, an
opposition party led by former president Levon Ter-Petrosian, but has
never mediated between the government and National Congress, the
embassy told Interfax.
Earlier, Armenian media said Yovanovitch had been mediating current
government-opposition talks ever since the latter began two months
ago.
The country's leadership is represented in the talks by Constitutional
Court Chairman Gagik Arutiunian, who was vice president to
Ter-Petrosian when the latter was president from 1991 to 1998, and the
chief opposition negotiator is Levon Zurabian, who was presidential
spokesman when Ter-Petrosian was president.
Earlier, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan said: "We are ready to be
the first to take steps to defuse the situation, and I have already
instructed the justice minister to prepare proposals to that effect."
However, the opposition demanded permission to hold rallies on Liberty
Square in Yerevan, the release of convicts allegedly imprisoned for
their political views and an investigation into clashes between
demonstrators and police in Yerevan on March 1, 2008, that claimed 10
lives.
The Yerevan mayor's office permitted the National Congress to hold a
rally on Liberty Square on April 28. It was the first time in three
years that the party was allowed to hold a meeting on the square.
Sargsyan, at a conference with top judiciary and justice officials in
mid-April, demanded new ways of investigating the 2008 violence.
On Friday, Armenian parliament speaker Ovik Abramian asked the
president to pardon former parliament deputy Sasun Mikaelian,
convicted of organizing mass riots in Yerevan on March 1, 2008.
as
From: A. Papazian
April 30 2011
U.S. Embassy in Armenia denies mediating govt-opposition talks
YEREVAN. April 30
U.S. Embassy in Armenia denies mediating govt-opposition talks
The U.S. Embassy in Yerevan on Saturday denied allegations that it is
mediating talks between Armenia's government and opposition.
U.S. Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch regularly meets with government
officials and senior figures in the Armenian National Congress, an
opposition party led by former president Levon Ter-Petrosian, but has
never mediated between the government and National Congress, the
embassy told Interfax.
Earlier, Armenian media said Yovanovitch had been mediating current
government-opposition talks ever since the latter began two months
ago.
The country's leadership is represented in the talks by Constitutional
Court Chairman Gagik Arutiunian, who was vice president to
Ter-Petrosian when the latter was president from 1991 to 1998, and the
chief opposition negotiator is Levon Zurabian, who was presidential
spokesman when Ter-Petrosian was president.
Earlier, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan said: "We are ready to be
the first to take steps to defuse the situation, and I have already
instructed the justice minister to prepare proposals to that effect."
However, the opposition demanded permission to hold rallies on Liberty
Square in Yerevan, the release of convicts allegedly imprisoned for
their political views and an investigation into clashes between
demonstrators and police in Yerevan on March 1, 2008, that claimed 10
lives.
The Yerevan mayor's office permitted the National Congress to hold a
rally on Liberty Square on April 28. It was the first time in three
years that the party was allowed to hold a meeting on the square.
Sargsyan, at a conference with top judiciary and justice officials in
mid-April, demanded new ways of investigating the 2008 violence.
On Friday, Armenian parliament speaker Ovik Abramian asked the
president to pardon former parliament deputy Sasun Mikaelian,
convicted of organizing mass riots in Yerevan on March 1, 2008.
as
From: A. Papazian