US Department of State urges all parties to engage in good faith negotiations on formation of new Armenian government

29.04.2018 09:50

Heather Nauert, USnbsp;nbsp;Department of State Spokesperson, said thenbsp;nbsp;United States continues to monitor closely the situation in Armenia. br / br / br / br /

YEREVAN, April 28. /ARKA./ Heather Nauert, USnbsp; Department of State Spokesperson, said thenbsp; United States continues to monitor closely the situation in Armenia.nbsp;br

‘As a friend of Armenia, we urge all parties to engage in good faith negotiations on the formation of a new government in accordance with the Constitution, and to reach a resolution that reflects the interests of all Armenians, ‘she said.br

‘We support the ongoing efforts of the Office of President Sarkissian to facilitate dialogue between all parties. We continue to commend the peaceful nature of the demonstrations, and trust that the security forces and those exercising their right to peaceful protest will remain committed to non-violence in the days to come.’br

The leader of the Prosperous Armenia Party Gagik Tsarukyan that has the second-largest faction in the parliament, said April 28y that his Tsarukyan faction will not nominate him as a candidate for the post of prime minister and will instead support the candidacy of the opposition leader Nikol Pashinyan.br

nbsp;Earlier that day the spokesman for the ruling Republican Party Eduard Sharmazanov said that his party will not nominate a candidate for the post of prime minister.br

According to him, the decision was made during a meeting of representatives of the party's faction with the party chairman Serzh Sargsyan and first deputy chairman Karen Karapetyan.br

The political situation has changed. Armenia is in a political crisis. The interests of the state, and not of the party, are the priority. We need a strong Armenia, Sharmazanov said.br

He explained the party's decision not to nominate its own candidate by the desire to avoid furtehr confrontaion and the division of the country into two camps.nbsp;br

The Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) also indicated it is very likely to support Pashinyan.nbsp;br

The Republican Party has 58 seats in the National Assembly, the Tsarukyan faction controls 31 seats, the Yelk bloc of Pashinyan has 9 seats and the Armenian Revolutionary Federation has 7 seats. To be elected as prime minister a candidate needs to win 53 votes. -0-br