Moscow hopes situation in Armenia be settled within legal terrain - Russian foreign ministry

MOSCOW, April 24. /TASS/. Russia hopes the situation in Armenia will be settled strictly within legal boundaries, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Grigory Karasin said on Tuesday at a meeting with Armenian Ambassador to Moscow Vardan Toganyan. "The ambassador informed about the current situation in Armenia following resignation of Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan," the Russian foreign ministry said. "The Russian side stressed that Moscow is closely watching the development of the political situation in Armenia and wishes it the soonest stabilization in the interests of wellbeing of the brotherly Armenian people. We hope all the differences will be settled exclusively within the framework of law." "The two diplomats also discussed current issues of bilateral foreign policy cooperation and other matters of mutual interest," the ministry added. Mass opposition protests erupted in Yerevan and other Armenian cities on April 13 after the country’s former President Serzh Sargsyan was nominated as candidate for prime minister. Despite the protests, he was elected prime minister by the national parliament on April 17 and later appointed to the post by a presidential decree. On April 19, the protesters tried to disrupt a meeting of the new government having blocked access to the government building. Sargsyan met with the opposition leader, MP Nikol Pashinyan on April 22, but to no avail. Ultimately, Sargsyan stepped down as prime minister on April 23. Read more