PUTIN BACKS ARMENIAN CRACKDOWN
AP
Friday March 7 2008
MOSCOW (AP) – Russian President Vladimir Putin voiced support Thursday
for the Armenian government’s crackdown on the opposition that comes
in the wake of a disputed presidential election.
Putin’s backing contrasted with calls by the United States and others
in the West for Armenia’s president to lift a state of emergency
imposed in the wake of weekend clashes between protesters and security
officials that left eight people dead and more than 100 injured.
Speaking by telephone with outgoing Armenian President Robert
Kocharian, Putin "expressed certainty that the efforts made by the
Armenian leadership will serve to provide for constitutional order,"
the Kremlin said.
The bloodshed was the worst political crisis to hit this strategically
located, volatile former Soviet land in nearly a decade. Armenia
has close ties with Russia, which maintains a military base in the
Caucasus Mountain nation.
The government crackdown came after round-the-clock protests by
opposition supporters alleging fraud in the Feb. 19 election. Official
results put the opposition candidate, Levon Ter-Petrosian, a distant
second to Prime Minister Serge Sarkisian, Kocharian’s favored
successor.
Kocharian declared the 20-day state of emergency Saturday night,
following a day of clashes that erupted when police broke up an
opposition tent camp, then used tear gas and fired in the air to
disperse thousands of demonstrators.
More than 10 arrested, including top allies of Ter-Petrosian.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
