UK: Armenian election step forward in democratic developmentFebruary 22, 2013 - 15:33 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Commenting on the Feb18 Armenian presidential election, UK Minister for Europe David Lidington said it “marks another step forward in democratic development.” "The Armenian presidential election on February 18 marked another step forward in Armenia’s democratic development. The campaign was free and open and voter turn-out on polling day was good. I expect that the final result, when confirmed, will reflect the choice of the Armenian voters,” Mr. Lidington said. "I welcome the International Election Observation Mission’s preliminary report which concluded that the elections were characterized by a ‘respect for fundamental freedoms’ but also noted deficiencies in election administration and instances of political interference. I look forward to seeing the Mission’s final report and encourage the Armenian government to respond constructively to any recommendations it might make. "The British Government looks forward to working with the Armenian Government to promote the economic reforms which will underpin Armenia’s efforts to forge a stronger relationship with the EU." Top stories The EU does not intend to conduct military exercises with Armenia, Lead Spokesperson for EU Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Peter Stano says. A telephone conversation between Putin and Pashinyan before the CSTO summit is not planned, Peskov says. London’s Armenian community has been left feeling “under attack” after the city’s Genocide monument was vandalised. The United States believes there should be an international mission to provide transparency. Partner news | Turkey extends military presence in Azerbaijan The Turkish parliament has adopted a bill submitted by Recep Tayyip Erdogan to extend the mandate of Turkish troops. Russia to begin assessing migrant workers' speaking skills Rosobrnadzor is planning to change the Russian language exam for migrant workers and include an assessment of speaking skills Armenian, Saudi Foreign Minister meet in Riyadh The two commended the positive dynamics of the development of political dialogue between Armenia and Saudi Arabia Pashinyan: Azerbaijan’s proximity shouldn’t worry border residents At the same time, he said that he “does not guarantee [the security of villagers] one hundred percent”. |