ARMENIAN PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFUL TER-PETROSIAN’S SUPPORTERS RALLY IN YEREVAN

Russia & CIS General Newswire
January 22, 2008 Tuesday 7:49 PM MSK

About 6,000 people gathered for a rally on Freedom Square in Yerevan
on Tuesday in support for Armenian presidential candidate Levon
Ter-Petrosian.

"Our struggle has entered a new phase. We have reached a point where
words cease and deeds start," Ter-Petrosian said at the rally.

"The authorities personified in Prime Minister Serzh Sarkisian and
President Robert Kocharian have plunged Armenia into a destitute
condition, but there is a real opportunity to build a decent country
today," he said.

"Sarkisian has no support in society. He hopes for bribes and vote
rigging," he said.

Ter-Petrosian said his supporters were prepared to devote all their
resources to winning the elections. "We need to switch from words
to action. We cannot tolerate the reproduction of the incumbent
authorities," he said.

About 3,500 demonstrators marched along central streets in downtown
Yerevan following the rally, which paralyzed traffic in the center
of the city for an hour.

Presidential elections in Armenia will take place on February 19.

The Central Elections Commission (CEC) registered nine candidates to
run in them.