Things in Lebanon are not back to normal yet and seems with possible failure in Doha talks, Tensions will increase. But what has it to do with Armenians?

An adviser to prime minister Siniora has told to Voice of Lebanon Radio Program: “The Armenians want “rights” in Lebanon.. while they have only crumbs in Armenia”
Obviously elements in the Government which is backed by United states are angry with the way, Armenian have sided in the political scene of Lebanon.
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AP: A senior U.S. State Department official is on his way to Armenia to encourage talks between the government and opposition protesters. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State Matthew Bryza’s trip comes after Armenian President Robert Kocharian declared the 20-day state of emergency Saturday.

A U.S. State Department spokesman, Tom Casey, says that the United States does not want to signal that it supports a crackdown, but also does not want «people to move from peaceful expressions of political opinions and engage in violence.»

Armenia’s main opposition group and the government are unlikely to start negotiations soon to end a standoff which triggered rioting that killed eight people,a European envoy said on Monday after he met both parties.
“In all likeliness this kind of dialogue between Ter-Petrosyan and the government at the moment is not possible,” Heikki Talvitie, a special envoy for the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), told reporters after being asked if the two sides would start negotiations. “But let’s not exclude it from the future,” he added.

AFP: France called today, Monday, for the “rapid lifting” of the state of emergency in Armenia, the “release of people who have been arrested” and the launch of political dialogue to end the violence that left eight people dead in Yerevan at the weekend.
“We ask for a rapid lifting of the state of emergency and the release of the people who have been arrested,” said Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Pascale Andreani.

“The violence and attacks on individual freedoms must stop,” she stressed, asking “the authorities and all Armenia’s political forces to launch a political dialogue to promote a democratic process that will enable a lasting return to stability in the country”.

Itar-Tass: Moscow has met with regret the reports about the recent developments in the capital of the friendly Republic of Armenia, which led to the loss of life, a representative of the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Monday.
“We express heartfelt condolences to all those who lost their relatives,” he added. “We hope that the measures, taken by the Armenian leaders, will bring about the settlement of the domestic political situation through a peaceful dialogue of the authorities with all the public forces in the interests of ensuring the security of the Armenian people and the stable development of the country,” the Russian diplomat stressed.

Vakit calls on the Government, NGOs, and the Turkish public in general not to remain uninterested in the ongoing internal
conflict in Armenia and urges the Parliamentary Human Rights Commission to send observers to Yerivan to help find a
peaceful solution to the unrest in Armenia.

Turan: The extremely tense situation in Armenia is a result of an ill-conceived policy of this country’s government,” Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev has said, addressing residents of the city of Naftalan in western Azerbaijan.
He believes that the current situation is a logical result of wrong and aggressive policy of Armenia, which has isolated itself from the rest of the region and lacks normal development. The stability is connected with the development and vice versa, Aliyev said.

Two pro-opposition Armenian lawmakers have been arrested for allegedly attempting a coup d’etat following violent clashes in the ex-Soviet country that left eight dead, police said Monday. Deputy Miasnik Malkhasian was arrested for “attempting to seize
power,” the press service of the Armenian police told AFP. A source in the security services said that deputy Hakob Hokopian was arrested on the same charge. The two were arrested overnight Sunday, police said.
The opposition immediately denounced the arrests. “This is a new step in the violence the authorities are using against the opposition to deprive it of its leadership,” said Arman Musinian, a spokesman for opposition leader Levon Ter-Petrosian.

Earlier Today I posted about Human rights watch statement on the recent incidents in Armenia,here is the full statement.

The United Nations human rights chief today voiced deep concern at reports that at least eight people have been killed and many others injured during demonstrations in Yerevan, the capital of Armenia, where the results of recent presidential elections have been disputed.

Louise Arbour, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, issued a statement in which she said she was particularly concerned that force was used against peaceful demonstrators yesterday and that opposition protesters have been detained.

Levon Ter-Petrosian said on Sunday the opposition may now seek to organise protests outside the capital, where emergency rule is not in effect. “We might organise demonstrations in other cities not far away from Yerevan, it would be legal,” he told reporters in his home.
Ter-Petrosian blamed authorities for provoking the unrest and criticised foreign observers for backing the elections. “Until the attack in front of the opera everything was peaceful … But if you had been hit on the head there, at the next demonstration you would grab a rod to defend yourself. “I hope the international community understands that the regime in Armenia does not have the support of the people. This conflict will now last five years, with full-time violence.”

AFP: Army chief of staff Seiran Oganian warned in televised comments that fresh protests would be met with “a severe response.”

meanwhile The city was relatively calm on Sunday and shops and cafes around Yerevan were open as residents examined the damage. Dozens of burnt-out cars, stones and metal poles from the night of violence were cleared from the streets.

AFP: The head of the Council of Europe on Sunday called on Armenia’s government to justify its state of emergency declaration amid violent protests that have left eight dead.
The secretary general of the democracy and rights watchdog, Terry Davis, said the government was required under the European Convention on Human Rights to “inform me of the measures it has taken and the reasons” for it.
“I expect that they will do so without any delay,” Davis said in a statement issued by the institution, which has 47 member countries including Armenia since 2001.
He also said the government should “review the justification for the restrictions imposed especially on media, political parties and non-governmental organisations.”

BBC Monitoring: Representatives of the Armenian community of Georgia and the Georgian nongovernmental sector have
condemned the violent dispersal of peaceful protests in Yerevan. They held a protest rally today outside the Armenian embassy in Tbilisi, where they signed a joint statement which they later gave to the staff of the embassy. The statement urges the EU and OSCE to pay more attention to the situation in Armenia.

Nino Tsikhistavi, head of the Women’s Network of the Caucasus said:” We, representatives of nongovernmental organizations and representatives of the Armenian diaspora, have gathered here in order to firmly express our solidarity with the Armenian public and the Armenian people. We understand very well what kind of unrest has broken out there. We believe the measures used by the Armenian authorities are absolutely unacceptable.

Itar-Tass: Armenian authorities are determined to prosecute the organizers of the Yerevan disturbances, head of the presidential office Armen Gevorkian said on Sunday.
Gevorkian told the diplomats about the Yerevan situation and explained reasons for the current state of emergency. He said authorities had taken legitimate measures to restore law and order.

Mediamax: Armenian Prime Minister and president-elect Serzh Sargsyan has assured representatives of the American administration that the government would do whatever it takes to avoid violence and restore order and stability.

The government press service said today that Sargsyan said this in a telephone conversation with Daniel Fried, an aide to the US secretary of state, and Matthew Bryza, the US co-chairman of the OSCE Minsk Group.

Sabrina Tavernise of New York Times writes on March 2 edition of newspaper: “The largest crowds this tiny, mountainous country has seen in years have clogged central streets here for 10 days, as Armenians of all ages have protested the results of a presidential election they say was stolen.”

“Tucked between Azerbaijan and Turkey, two sworn enemies, and without any natural resources, Armenia has to rely on outside help to survive. Its government usually allows more dissent than most. Journalists rarely disappear and turn up dead, Which is why the actions of the police officers on Saturday — and last month’s election, whose results have still not been fully recognized by the United States — were so disappointing.”

Wow,Finally Their patience ended. I think they were waiting for Arthur’s return to the government. Armenia liberty also says Levon is under house arrest which if true isn’t surprising.
Artmika in his weblog follows the news. Armenian observer also has a post about it,there are always interesting comments.

Update 1: Seems A1+ building is being surrounded by police forces.

Update 2: ItarTass: The opposition will use all legal means to continue the struggle against Armenia’s authorities, first Armenian president Levon Ter-Petrosyan said. He said opposition had warned ambassadors of EU countries and the U.S. ambassador about the events in Yerevan.

“Gul’s congratulation generates discontent of historians”, This is what Azerbayjan’s Azadliq Newspaper wrote on 24 of February.
The newspaper wrote: “Views expressed in the letter are inappropriate”.
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Economist starts its report on Armenian election with this “ELECTIONS in former Soviet republics rarely yield surprises. The incumbent wins; the opposition cries foul; it takes to the streets.”
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