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FREE, FAR AND DEMOCRATIC ELECTION OF GREAT IMPORTANCE FOR FUTURE OF BOTH ARMENIA AND DIASPORA: ARMENIAN ASSEMBLY OF AMERICA
MARCH 1. The Armenian Assembly of America believes
that free, fair and democratic elections are critical to both the
Republic of Armenia's future and the future of the Armenian Diaspora,
says the statement of the Armenia Assembly of America received by
ARMINFO today.
We support efforts by observers and all those committed to providing
the Armenian people with a democratic election process. We want to
emphasize that all Armenians will benefit when elections in Armenia
are beyond reproach, and call on all parties and the government to
meet this standard.-
"WORTHY FUTURE" PARTY URGES ARMENIAN POLITICAL FORCES TO DISPLAY
RESPONSIBILITY AND ABSTAIN FROM FURTHER AGGRAVATING SITUATION
MARCH 1. The "Worthy Future" party urges the
authorities, political forces, NGOs and the whole people of Armenia
to be aware of their responsibility to the country and abstain from
further aggravating the situation, display tolerance and observe the
letter of the law.
According to the statement of the party's United Council received by
ARMINFO today, the party is deeply concerned about the atmosphere of
extreme intolerance and public polarization which can damage the
international image of Armenia and its democratic achievements and
future. "We consider holding of free, fair and transparent runoff
election the only deserving way out of this situation," the statement
says.
The authors of the statement confirm their support to Robert
Kocharyan's candidature and call him for being consistent in
revealing and bringing responsible the riggers of the first round of
the presidential election. At the same time, they urge the leader of
the People's party, the candidate for Presidency Stepan Demirchyan to
act in conformity with the law and to justify the vote of confidence
of his electors. "We urge Stepan Demirchyan's supporters to display
responsibility, abstain from populism and do not endanger the
people's right of freedom of choice," the statement says.
157 BROUGHT ADMINISTRATIVELY RESPONSIBLE BY FEB 28, 2003 FOR
ORGANIZING AND HOLDING UNSANCTIONED RALLIES
MARCH 1. By February 28, 6:00 pm. local time, 157
persons were brought administratively responsible for organizing and
holding unsanctioned rallies in Armenia, as well as for
insubordination to the authorities and hooliganism.
The press-service of the Armenian Justice Ministry informed ARMINFO
that jointly with representatives of the Helsinki Committee of
Armenia, the employees of the above ministry took relevant measures
and drew a list of 100 persons brought administratively responsible.
Press Secretary of the Armenian Justice Ministry Ara Saghatelyan said
the representatives of the Helsinki Committee acts more
constructively than the representative of the staff of 16 opposition
forces, and a conversation with him showed that he prefers political
speculations to business cooperation.-
OSCE CiO CALLS FOR RELEASE OF PEOPLE DETAINED DURING ARMENIAN
ELECTIONS
MARCH 1. The OSCE Chairman-in-Office,
Netherlands Foreign Minister Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, expressed his
concern about the tensions surrounding the campaign leading up to the
second round of presidential elections in Armenia, to be held on 5
March, says the statement of the OSCE CiO received by ARMINFO.
The Chairman-in-Office stressed that there is no place for
intimidation, violence or unconstitutional action, from any side, in
an election campaign.
Also in the interest of defusing tensions ahead of this second round,
the CiO calls for the release of people detained because of their
involvement in non-violent campaign activities.
Minister de Hoop Scheffer calls on Armenian authorities to respect
the commitments under the OSCE Copenhagen Document of 1990, which
stipulate that political campaigning "be conducted in a fair and free
atmosphere in which neither administrative action, violence nor
intimidation bars the parties and the candidates from freely
presenting their views and qualifications, or prevents the voters
from learning and discussing them or from casting their vote free of
fear of retribution".
USA AGREES WITH RECENT ASSESSMENT OF PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN ARMENIA
BY INTERNATIONAL OBSERVER MISSION: U.S. AMBASSADOR TO OSCE
MARCH 1. U.S. Ambassador to the OSCE Stephan Minikes said the United States agrees with a recent assessment by an international observer mission that the February 19 Armenian presidential election was "generally calm and well-administered, but the counting process was flawed and the election process fell short of international standards in several key respects." Speaking to the OSCE Permanent Council in Vienna February 27, Minikes said "we welcome a number of positive elements in the election process, as noted by the ODIHR/PACE joint assessment." However, he cited some "significant shortcomings observed in the pre-election period," and noted that "a number of irregularities occurred on election day."
The United States calls on Armenian political parties to "recommit
themselves to a fair and fully transparent run-off election. In this
spirit, we welcome the Central Election Commission's pledge to make
improvements in the process in time for the second round on March 5,"
said Minikes.
SYNCHRONOUS RALLIES OF SUPPORTERS OF CURRENT AUTHORITIES AND
OPPOSITION EVIDENT PROVOCATION
MARCH 1. A synchronous holding of rallies of the supporters of the current authorities and the opposition of Armenia is an evident provocation, the lawyer Ashot Sargssyan said at a press-conference today. Sargssyan is the person representing the candidate for Presidency, Leader of the People's Party of Armenia Stepan Demirchyan. It should be noted the Yerevan Municipality gave a permission of holding a rally at 3:00 pm. local time near the building of "Matenadaran," the museum of ancient manuscripts, to the progovernment parties ARF Dashnakstutiun, "Orinats Yerkir", "Republican" and others. However, at 4:00 pm. a regular rally of the opposition is to be held at the same place today.
Ashot Sargssyan said the opposition did everything to avoid a
possible crash. The meeting of the opposition was fixed for March 1
yet on Feb 26. While, the Municipality's permission for another rally
at the same place and time is an evident attempt of provocation,
Ashot Sargssyan said.-
PPA LEADER, CANDIDATE FOR PRESIDENCY STEPAN DEMIRCHYAN EXPECTED TO
MAKE OFFICIAL POLITICAL STATEMENT IN NEAR FUTURE
MARCH 1. Leader of the People's Party of Armenia, the candidate for Presidency, Stepan Demirchyan is expected to make an official political statement in the near future, the member of the Board of the National-Democratic Union Vardan Poghossyan said at a press-conference today.
He said Robert Kocharyan did not response to the opposition's
statement demanding punishment of those guilty in the violations and
rigging in the course of the first round of the Presidential
election, hereby becoming responsible for these violations himself.
In this connection, Vardan Poghosyan said if there is no response to
the statement on the rigging by tomorrows' rally, it will lead to
creation of a new political situation demanding political settlement.
At the same time, Poghosyan refused from unraveling the content of
the statement, being not empowered, as he said.
ARMENIAN PRESIDENT CONSIDERS OPENING OF NEW BANK UNIQUE EVENT IN
ELECTION PERIOD
MARCH 1. The opening of a new bank - Arshininvestbank, in the election period is a unique event, Armenian President Robert Kocharyan told journalists today in the course of Ardshininvestbank's presentation. He said this testifies to the increase in the trust to the country's banking system. "Moreover, we deal with an investor-businessman who arrived in Armenia two years ago with a number serious projects, with most of them being implemented." The investor has fulfilled all his commitments, while the country has fulfilled only part of them. In the preelection period the opening of a new bank with a $5mln capital is rather an interesting fact, Robert Kocharyan said. He added that such an event during election period have no international practice.
He said economic indices show that the investment volume did not
reduce by the end of January, 2003 in Armenia. Besides, a 12.95
economic growth was registered in 2002. President Kocharyan gave a
positive assessment of the role of commercial banks in the country in
the sphere of crediting of the real sector in conditions of economic
growth. Due to the policy aimed at financing of the budget deficit by
banks carried out on the securities market, the banks activity in
this direction intensified during the last two years. It made the
banks reorient these funds to the real sector. It is one of the
serious results we can mention in the economic policy, Robert
Kocharyan said. The president considers a phenomenon that interest
rates decreased from the previous 50% to 10-12% during the last 5
years.
ROBERT KOCHARIAN HAS CHANCE TO FIND WORTHY WAY-OUT OF SITUATION: HAIK
BABUKHANIAN
MARCH 1. Before March 5, Armenia's President Robert Kocharian has a chance to find a worthy way-out of the current situation, Vice-Chairman of the "Constitutional Right Union" party, Parliament member Haik Babukhanian told a press conference. According to him, during the "so-called election on February 19, which turned into a banal crime," the authorities violated 56 articles of Armenia's Constitution. Specifically, "Armenia's incumbent President Robert Kocharian tried to usurp power, civil rights and freedoms are being consistently violated, free traveling about the country has been banned, freedom of speech was restricted, which was expressed by the shut-down of the A1+' TV channels in 2002, and, from February 27, 2003, the termination of relay of the Russian NTV channel in Armenia for political reasons. Only court, but not Robert Kocharian, Serge Sargssian or Hovhannes Varian, can prohibit citizens from organizing meetings and processions. An atmosphere of threats, blackmail, terror and even fascism is being created in the country, which was not observed even in the Soviet times," Babukhanian claimed. The only way-out of this situation is immediate resignation of Minister of Defense Serge Sargssian, Head of Armenia's Police Haik Harutiunian, Head of the National Security Service Karlos Petrossian and Minister of Territorial Administration Hovik Abrahamian, who are personally responsible for the falsifications during the first round of the presidential election, as well as for the attempt on Haik Babukhanian's life in Artashat on February 4. As regards Robert Kocharian, he must resign and take part in the run-off as an ordinary presidential candidate. It is the only normal course of the election, otherwise Robert Kocharian will declare himself president, usurp power, and the consequences can be most unpredictable. "Robert Kocharian has lost, despite the barbed wire, tanks or Hovhannes Varian. Therefore, he must either go away with credit now, or in 2-3 months with disgrace," Babukhanian said, calling the intellectuals publicly supporting the incumbent President "persons that have sold their souls."
He underlined that the things the authorities "are arbitrarily
doing" now damage Armenia's international reputation and endanger the
process of peaceful settlement of the Karabakh conflict.
ARMENIAN AUTHORITIES SHAKE CONFIDENCE IN ELECTION RESULTS: HUMAN
RIGHTS WATCH
MARCH 1. Detentions of active supporters of the opposition can shake public confidence in the results of the presidential run-off election, the "Human Rights Watch" organization stated on February 28. According to the organization's press release provided to ARMINFO, at least 150 supporters of the presidential candidate, Chairman of the People Party of Armenia Stepan Demirchian were arrested on February 22-28. According to the information, the police "were taking away" the active members of Stepan Demirchian's election staffs and proxies right from their homes in the mornings. On February 27, the 20-year-old daughter of one of the members of Stepan Demirchian's election staff was detained in Yerevan, the police thereby trying to make him give up. "All these arrests are a clumsy attempt to put the opposition out of order a week before the final voting," stated Elizabeth Andersen, Executive Director of the "Human Rights Watch" organization. The organization specifies that in many cases the colleagues, lawyers and relatives were not provided with information on the detainees' whereabouts. "The number of complaints about improper treatment of the detainees is also increasing," the organization states.
Press Secretary of the Ministry of Justice Ara Sahatelian reported
that 150 persons were held administratively responsible, most of the
charges being brought against them on Article 180 of the Code of
Administrative Offences (organization of unsanctioned demonstrations,
etc..)
ARF WRITING ONE OF BLACKEST CHAPTERS OF ITS HISTORY NOW: HAIK
BABUKHANIAN
MARCH 1. The Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF), which is supporting Robert Kocharian, is writing one of the blackest chapters of its history now, the Vice-chairman of the Constitutional Right Union (CRU), Parliament member Haik Babukhanian told a press conference. Commenting on the harsh statements addressed to the CRU by the ARF Board member Vahan Hovhannissian, Babukhanian called them "showing fists after the fight, as the other ARF member Kim Balayan ingloriously lost the TV debate with the CRU member Hrant Khachatrian. "We supported the ARF when the ANM started persecuting them in mid-90s, but today the ARF rank-and-file members feel ashamed for their leaders,"Babukhanian said, pointing out that a political party having a century-old history must not form its policy only because its members have posts, markets and shops.
Commenting on the accusations of cooperation with the Armenian
National Movement (ANM) brought against Stepan Demirchian,
Babukhanian stressed that such accusations can be brought by the one
that struggle against the ANM. Robert Kocharian has made his
political career exclusively due to the ANM, and it is he that failed
the condemnation of the former ruling party for its crimes, and both
the Government and the President entourage include numerous ANM
members, so the accusations brought against Stepan Demirchian are
just absurd, Babukhanian said.
CRU VICE-CHAIRMAN COMMENTS ON INVESTIGATION OF HIS ATTEMPTED MURDER
MARCH 1. "The true circumstances of attempt on my life in Artashat on February 4 will be revealed only if the power is changed, as the incumbent authorities are not concerned with the exposure of the crime," the Vice-Chairman of the Constitutional Right Union, member of the Armenian Parliament Haik Babukhanian told a press conference at the "Azdak" discussion club. According to him, he is well informed of who tried to kill him, who organized that crime and even of the reasons for the policemen's inaction in flagrant delict. The medical personnel of the Artashat hospital denied assistance to Babukhanian "that I might die from the loss of blood, if not from the attempted murder."
Responding to ARMINFO's question as to whether he has submitted all
the facts at his disposal to Armenia's Prosecutor's Office,
Babukhanian stated that he has more than enough facts, there
are numerous witnesses, a video record, but the Prosecutor General's
Office has interrogated his only once and assumed a wait-and-see
position, apparently expecting the results of the run-off election.
"I will provide the information at my disposal on condition of a
proper investigation, which is impossible under the incumbent
authorities, as numerous political murders have remained unexposed
under these authorities," Babukhanian said. He also reported that the
law-enforcement agencies have not returned his pistol to him,
apparently expecting the results of the run-off.
DEPUTY HEAD OF "CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT UNION" HAYK BABOUKHANYAN:
WE SHALL SUPPORT ARTASHES GEGHAMYAN
MARCH 1. "We are going to support Armenian presidential candidate Artashes Geghamyan during the legal proceedings at the Constitutional Court instituted at Geghamyan's complaint. For this we are going to use all data at our disposal concerning the falsifications during the Feb 19 presidential election," Deputy Head of the "Constitutional Right Union" party, Armenian MP Hayk Baboukhanyan stated at a press conference held at the "Azdak" Discussion Club today.
According to Baboukhanyan, he and his advocates had a bitter
experience of applying to the Constitutional Court in 1996. So the
"Constitutional Right Union" party, which at the presidential
election supported the head of the Strategic Initiative Center
"Prospect," politologist Aram Karapetyan, considers that the
application to the court is doomed to fail beforehand. However,
Karapetyan himself will inform the public of his position on this
issue in the nearest future, Baboukhanyan said
CEC MISINFORMS PRESIDENT OF RESULTS OF FIRST ROUND OF PRESIDENTIAL
ELECTION: ASHOT SARGSSIAN
MARCH 1. The Central Commission of Armenia (CEC) is misinforming President Robert Kocharian of the results of the first round of the February 19 presidential election, the lawyer Ashot Sargssian, who is one of the proxies of the opposition presidential candidate, Chairman of the People's Party of Armenia (PPA) Stepan Demirchian, told a press conference. According to him, he personally lodged 84 complaints about the violations during the presidential election, and 30 more complaints were lodged by others. Sargssian reported that only five of them were considered. He claimed that it suggests the idea of the vicious chain from the district election commissions to the CEC, which misinforms the country's authorities. Speaking of the violations during the election, Sargssian pointed out that besides ballot-box stuffing and bribes , the CEC announced run-off election before announcing the final results of the first round. Sargssian stated that it is unclear what figures CEC Chairman Artak Sahradian announced 18 hours after the voting, if it was not until February 25 that he provided this information to the PPA.
In his turn, the lawyer Hraik Tovmassian added that all the types of
violations "known in the world", such as ballot-box stuffing,
stealing of ballot-boxes, "whirligig" and bribes, were committed
during the presidential election in Armenia. Moreover, he said, the
calculations show that about 300,000 votes were falsified.
HOLDING RALLY PARTICIPANTS ADMINISTRATIVELY RESPONSIBLE GROSS
VIOLATION OF LAW: VARDAN POGHOSSIAN
MARCH 1.Holding the participants in the opposition's meetings administratively responsible was a great violation of law, the member of the Board of the National Democratic Party (NDP) Vardan Poghossian told a press conference.
According to him, this is not in any way in conformity with the
international commitments assumed by Armenia during its admission
to the Council of Europe. Moreover, Poghossian said, even after the
statement of PACE Chairman Peter Schider that the detainees must be
immediately released, the Armenian authorities are continuing
arrests. "Acting like this, the Armenian authorities are trying to
retain power by means of falsifications. However, it cannot remain
unpunished, and, if violations are revealed during the run-off
election, you can be sure that the results will not be recognized as
valid either in or outside the republic," Poghossian said.
ARMENIAN OPPOSITION: HEAD OF CIS OBSERVATION MISSION YURI YAROV
DISMISSED
MARCH 1. Head of the CIS Observation Mission Yuri Yarov is dismissed "because of his subjective assessment of the first round of the Armenian presidential election, according to which, the voting process has been held without any serious violations of the law."
According to ARMINFO, this statement was made by the leader of the
National-Democratic Party, Armenian MP Shavarsh Kocharyan at the
meeting currently organized by the Armenian opposition in the center
of Yerevan. It should be noted that about 40 thous people are taking
part in the meeting including the released people of the opposition
earlier arrested because of their participation in the unapproved
meetings and processions.
PARUYR HAYRIKYAN: VICTORY OF LEADER OF NATIONAL PARTY STEPAN
DEMIRCHYAN AT PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION WILL STIMULATE DEVELOPMENT OF
DEMOCRACY IN THE COUNTRY
MARCH 1. The victory of the leader of the National Party Stepan Demirchyan at the upcoming presidential election will stimulate the development of democracy in Armenia, Leader of the "Self-Determination Unification" party Paruyr Hayrikyan stated at a press conference today. According to Hayrikyan, speaking of the support of this or that candidate for the Presidency one first of all takes into account his personal qualities. From this point of view Armenia's incumbent president Robert Kocharyan is at more advantageous position as he is more experienced, active, open for dialogues. However, it is important to realize now that each candidate can win the election. According to Hayrikyan, if Armenia's incumbent president Robert Kocharyan wins the election, the country will face the situation which it had had during the last years: the implementation of the policy of distributing Kirk Kirkoryan's funds by means of contract provision will be underway, the Armenian enterprises will be handed into the ownership of Russian businessmen against the pay-off of the state-debt, the difficult social-economic situation will preserve. In this connection, Hayrikyan pointed out that the increase in pensions and subsidies are of fictitious nature. He said that as a result of the increase in pensions and subsidies dollar exchange price is growing rapidly and this means that the size of pensions and subsidies is falling. If Robert Kocharyan wins the presidential election, the upcoming parliamentary elections will also be falsified as the staff of the electoral commissions will be the same. This will cause the disappointment of the Armenian people or, at the best, their temporary distrust, as well as the "ter-petrosyanization" of the incumbent president.
If Stepan Demirchyan wins the presidential election, the opposite
policy will be carried out at least during the first year of ruling:
Kirk Kirkoryan's funds will be distributed at contest basis,
Demirchyan will implement a policy, according to which, the officials
will be responsible for the given promises for the improvement of
the social situation, the number of the violations during the
parliamentary elections will be reduced. This will cause an
improvement of the quality of the parliamentary staff the activities
of which will minimize the probable "faults" of Stepan Demirchyan.
Demirchyan's victory will stimulate people's optimism, as well as the
enhancement of Armenia's prestige at the international arena and the
rehabilitation of the democracy in the country.
ARMENIAN OPPOSITION TO ANNOUNCE PARTICIPATION OF ITS CANDIDATE IN
RUN-OFF ELECTION MARCH 3
MARCH 1. The decision on the PPA Chairman Stepan Demirchian's participation in the run-off election will be announced on March 3, at a "nation-wide" meeting at Republic Square. The statement was made at the opposition's rally that has just finished in the center of Yerevan. The rally was attended by some 15,000 people, among whom were also the persons detained for participating in unsanctioned meetings and processions and released from custody today. The speakers at the meeting reported that the leader of the "21st century" party Arkady Vardanian, who left Armenia in the spring of 2001, urged his supporters to cast their votes for Stepan Demirchian. The statement was also made that mass meetings in support of Stepan Demirchian were held in New York and Los Angeles yesterday. Speaking at the meeting, the member of the Political Council of the "Republic" party Aram Sargssian stated that Demirchian has won the election and the entire world has acknowledged his victory. Armenia needs a legitimate president for the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict to be eventually settled. But if Robert Kocharian, that is, illegitimate president, remains in power in Armenia, the settlement process will regress. Stepan Demirchian and his supporters will be consistent in settling the Karabakh conflict, Sargssian said, claiming that troops from the NKR "supposed to defend Robert Kocharian" are now in Armenia. Sargssian urged the prospective participants in the March 3 meeting to watch the Armenian Public Television, as "on that day Robert Kocharian will resign." In his turn, Stepan Demirchian stated that all of the opposition's demands remain in force. "Many people are curious about my participation in the run-off, so I state that I am doomed to win," Demirchian said. The meeting participants are now marching to the Ministry of Justice to demand the release of the other detainees. HEADLINES OF 1 MARCH
AZERI PRESIDENT MEETS DIRECTOR OF CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE DEPARTMENT
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