OSCE CHAIRMAN CALLS FOR DIALOGUE AND CO-OPERATION
YEREVAN, 26 February 2008 - The OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Finnish Foreign Minister Ilkka Kanerva, called today on all sides in Armenia to engage in dialogue to resolve the tension that surfaced following the 19 February presidential election.
In meetings with Armenian officials in Yerevan, the Chairman said the OSCE was ready to continue helping the country as it attempts to consolidate its democracy and address the existing shortcomings. The Organization observed the presidential election, and a core team remains in the country to observe post-election procedures, including the complaints resolution process.
"We are glad to support Armenia as it further improves election procedures and legislation. Concrete recommendations on how to do this will be included in the OSCE's Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights' comprehensive, final report from the 19 February elections," he said.
"I urge you to view the report as a roadmap to democratic progress."
The Minister noted the demonstrations held by the opposition for several days following the election. "I trust that the authorities will continue to respect the right of citizens to assemble freely and ensure that public gatherings can take place without hindrance," he said.
Though such demonstrations are part of any vibrant democracy, political progress can only come through negotiations that involve all sides, the Chairman said.
"Dialogue and co-operation are the hallmarks of the OSCE, and I call on you to use these effective tools to resolve the challenges facing Armenia," he said.
He also called on Armenian leaders to show courage and statesmanship in the political negotiations that aim to create progress in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict settlement, noting that the OSCE would support the results of the negotiations reached between the presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan.
"A peace agreement would be a milestone, but in addition, the populations on both sides must be prepared for peace through promotion of friendly and normal contacts across community lines," he said. "The OSCE is ready to assist both sides in these efforts."
The Minister's agenda included meetings with officials including outgoing President Robert Kocharian, outgoing Prime Minister and President-elect Serge Sargsyan, Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanyan, Ombudsman Armen Harutiunian and representatives of political parties. He was set to meet Bako Sahakyan, the leader of Nagorno-Karabakh.
The Chairman and his delegation, which includes OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President Goran Lennmarker, will visit Georgia on Wednesday and Azerbaijan on Thursday.
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Police announcement
On 25 February at 21.30 police employees detained Suren Surenyants, born in 1975, at the Liberty Square and brought him Central Police Department for violating the law, organizing ...A MAN ON HUNGER STRIKE SEWED HIS MOUTH
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The Republican Square is getting ready for Serge Sargsyan’s gathering. The Square is filled with the flags of the “Republican Party of Armenia”, buses, policemen are in gas-masks.
The ...“THIS IS A POLITICAL TERROR”
The Press Secretary of Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s pre-election headquarters Arman Musinyan does not understand on what grounds their supporters are arrested. “For example, Khachatur Sukiasyan’s car was searched ...“POLITICAL DIALOGUE IS THE ONLY WAY OUT”
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The rally in the Liberty Square is still going on. At the moment two different marches will begin in two different directions. The Head of the “Republican” party Aram Sargsyan made a speech and declared ...SEARCH
Today at 5.00 a.m. a group of men in the masks tried to search Armen Sirunyan’s house. He is one of the active opposition actors. The men introduced themselves as the employees of the National Security ...TER-PETROSYAN INVITES SERGE SARGSYAN AND ROBERT KOCHARYAN TO LIBERTY SQUARE
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Appealing to Serge Sargsyan and Robert Kocharyan, Levon Ter-Petrosyan declared in the Liberty Square: “I appeal to you, my friends. Why don’t you want to understand the situation in ...THE MARCH WAS HELD IN ONE DIRECTION
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The march, which was organized in defense of the detained supporters by the united opposition in Yerevan streets, is over.
Today’s march was more crowded as compared with previous ...SANGER STRIKE STOPPED
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In the Liberty Square Levon Ter-Petrosyan declared that as he had promised he would make numerous speeches and added that the announcements would be simple.
Then he asked those who ...OSCE CHAIRMAN CALLS FOR DIALOGUE AND CO-OPERATION
YEREVAN, 26 February 2008 - The OSCE Chairman-in-Office, Finnish Foreign Minister Ilkka Kanerva, called today on all sides in Armenia to engage in dialogue to resolve the tension that surfaced following ...TV TOWER TO BE CAPTURED
The press secretariat of the National Security Service disseminated information allegedly the Service had reliable information that the organizers of the rally in the Liberty Square discussed the plan ...
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- 1798 Tsar Paul the First's decree on the Armenians.
- 1802 Birth of Gabriel Patkanyan (historian, public figure) in Tbilissi (Georgia). He died in 1889 in St.Petersburg (Russia).
- 1828 Start of the repatriation of Armenians living in Iran to Eastern Armenia and the Transcaucasus.
- 1921 Atarbekian, the notorious Secret Police Chief who murdered countless Armenians during Stalin's purges, heads the anti-patriotic offensive in the Dilijan and Karakilisa (Vanadzor) regions.
- 1924 The Central Executive Committee of the USSR renames Alexandropol to Leninakan.
- 1988 Genocide of the Armenians in Sumgait (third largest city in Azerbaijan and its second largest industrial center). The perpetrators were not apprehended. No prosecutions of the guilty were initiated. Mikhail Gorbachev dismisses this Genocide just as an act of petty hooliganism.
- 1992 Artsakh forces control Khojalu, the regional military headquarters of the Azeri Turk forces.
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