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Putin discusses political crisis with Armenian acting prime minister

Xinhua,April 27, 2018 Adjust font size:

MOSCOW, April 26 (Xinhua) -- Russian President Vladimir Putin had a phone conversation with Armenian Acting Prime Minister Karen Karapetyan on Thursday amid the political unrest in the Transcaucasia country.

They stressed that the crisis in Armenia should be only settled legally "within the framework of the current Constitution and on the basis of the results of the legitimate parliamentary elections held in April 2017," the Kremlin said.

In this context, both sides emphasized the importance of the election of the Armenian prime minister by the parliament scheduled for May 1, according to the Kremlin.

Earlier in the day, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov met his Armenian counterpart Edward Nalbandian in Moscow, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said.

Former Armenian Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan, who was president for a decade, resigned on Monday just days after he was elected by the parliament amid street protests against his ruling Republican Party.

Sargsyan's post is temporarily occupied by his deputy Karapetyan, former prime minister and former senior executive of Russian gas giant Gazprom.

The Armenian parliament will convene on May 1 to elect a new prime minister.

The demonstrations were led by opposition MP Nikol Pashinyan, who demands an immediate and peaceful handover of power by appointing him as the next prime minister.

Armenia has been transitioning from a direct presidential system to a parliamentary one after constitutional reforms approved in a national referendum in December 2015.

Under the amendments, although recognized as the head of state, the president will hold a largely ceremonial role with real executive power lying in the hands of the prime minister.

The Armenian opposition continued mass protests on the streets and on Wednesday canceled talks planned between Karapetyan and Pashinyan.

Armenia is a major ally of Moscow in Transcaucasia, with Russian troops stationed in a military base there. Enditem

 

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