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WORLD NEWS Saturday 8 december 2018
Armenians set to cast ballots in snap parliamentary vote

By AVET DEMOURIAN back at Pashinian, criticiz-
Associated Press ing what it described as his
YEREVAN, Armenia (AP) — populist statements and di-
Armenians are set to vote visive rhetoric.
in a snap parliamentary "Pashinian has been unable
election this Sunday that is to solve social problems, so
expected to cement the he has turned to making
rule of the new prime min- shows," snapped Eduard
ister who spearheaded the Sharmazanov, a Repub-
massive protests earlier this lican Party member who
year that forced the resig- served as deputy speaker.
nation of his predecessor. On Friday, an Armenian
The charismatic 43-year- court put former Armenian
old Nikol Pashinian, who President Robert Kochar-
took office in May, pushed ian in custody on charges
for the elections in a bid to linked to a police crack-
win control of a parliament down on a 2008 protest.
that was dominated by his Kocharian rejected the
political foes. charges, calling them a
Pashinian, a former jour- political vendetta by Pa-
nalist turned politician, has shinian, who staged the
tapped into public anger 2008 post-election protest.
over widespread poverty, The Republican Party de-
high unemployment and In this file photo taken on Thursday, April 26, 2018, Nikol Pashinian gestures as he speaks to nounced the ex-president's
rampant corruption in the demonstrators gathered at Republic Square in Yerevan, Armenia. arrest as an attempt by Pa-
landlocked former Soviet Associated Press shinian "to create an atmo-
nation of 3 million that bor- sphere of fear and to pres-
ders Georgia, Azerbaijan, erupted in April when Serzh step down days later. ate new jobs and encour- sure political opponents."
Turkey and Iran. His fiery Sargsyan, who had served The former president has age more Armenians to re- Armenia has been weak-
rhetoric and easy style as president for a decade, kept a low profile and his turn home. ened by an economic
have helped cement his moved into the prime min- Republican Party has large- "We have carried out a po- blockade stemming from
popularity. ister's seat, a move seen ly remained on the defen- litical revolution, and now the conflict over Nagorno-
Opinion polls have indicat- by critics as an attempt to sive, reluctantly submitting we must make an econom- Karabakh, a region of Azer-
ed that Pashinian's My Step hold on to power following to Pashinian's demand to ic revolution," Pashinian baijan that has been under
alliance is set to sweep the a constitutional reform that hold early parliamentary said on a recent campaign the control of ethnic Ar-
vote, while the Republican had shifted most power to elections. trip. "We set big and difficult menian forces backed by
Party that controlled the the prime minister's office. During the monthlong cam- goals and we will achieve Armenia since the end of
old parliament is trailing far Thousands of protesters led paign, Pashinian has blast- them, because we are a a six-year separatist war in
behind. by Pashinian thronged the ed members of the old elite powerful, victorious free 1994.q
The protests in Armenia center of the Armenian as corrupt and pledged to and happy nation."
capital, forcing Sargsyan to revive the economy, cre- The Republican Party shot

Russia and Greece say spat over diplomats expulsions is over

By VLADIMIR ISACHENKOV siders the Greek action un- believes that European
Associated Press founded. security architecture can't
MOSCOW (AP) — Russia "I can hardly imagine that exclude Russia," he said.
and Greece have over- any reasonable person in "That is the position I have
come a rift over the ex- Greece or in Russia could taken at all international
pulsions of diplomats that think that Russia was in- forums."
strained their traditionally volved in any machi- The two leaders said they
friendly ties, the countries' nations or plots against discussed the prospect of
leaders said Friday. Greece, the Russian leader shipments of Russian natu-
Greece in July expelled two said. "It's sheer nonsense." ral gas to southern Europe
Russian diplomats amid al- Putin noted that any such via Greece.
legations they helped fund tensions could be solved Last month, Russia and
protests against a deal without "theatrical ges- Turkey announced the
between Greece and its tures," but added "that completion of the offshore
northern neighbor Mace- page has been turned." part of TurkStream pipeline
donia intended to pave Tsipras also said Greece deep in the Black Sea that
the way for Macedonia to considers the dispute would supply Russian gas
join NATO. closed and emphasized to Turkey.
Russia angrily rejected the the importance of his Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, left, and Russian President Putin said Friday that the
Vladimir Putin pose for a photo prior to their talks in the Kremlin
claim and responded in country's close ties with in Moscow, Russia, Friday, Dec. 7, 2018. new pipeline could poten-
kind, expelling two Greek Russia. "This issue has been Associated Press tially be extended to ship
diplomats in August. solved, and I believe that Russian gas to Greece and
Russian President Vladi- we should look forward," lations with Russia in dia- Russia and the West. other countries in southern
mir Putin said after Friday's he said. logue with its European "Greece must fulfill its ob- Europe."I believe it's quite
talks with Greek Prime Min- Tsipras noted that Greece Union and NATO partners ligations as a member of realistic," he said.q
ister Alexis Tsipras in the has underlined the impor- amid tensions between the EU and NATO, but it
Kremlin that Russia still con- tance of constructive re-