Nazarbayev in conversation with Armenian president expresses confidence Armenians to find way out of crisis
ASTANA. May 5 (Interfax-AVN) - Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev and his Armenian counterpart Armen Sarkissian have discussed the current internal political situation in Armenia in a telephone conversation, the press service for the Kazakh leader said.
"Nursultan Nazarbayev expressed confidence that the friendly Armenian nation would find the right way out of the existing crisis by means of a constructive dialogue within legal framework," the press service said in a statement on Saturday.
Since April 13, tens of thousands of opposition activists and supporters have held rallies and demonstrations in Yerevan and some other cities of Armenia to protest against former President Serzh Sargsyan's appointment prime minister. Opposition parliamentarian Nikol Pashinyan has led the protest movement. On April 23, Sargsyan resigned, and Karen Karapetyan of the ruling Republican Party has been appointed acting prime minister.
Despite Sargsyan's resignation, the opposition has been continuing its protests. Pashinyan demanded that all representatives of the Republican Party be removed from power and a new prime minister be elected. The opposition leader later gave an ultimatum that he should become the prime minister.
On May 1, the Republican Party said it would not nominate its candidate for the new Armenian prime minister, but support the candidate nominated by a third of members of the National Assembly at the election on May 8. The opposition factions in the parliament, Dashnakthutyun, Tsarukyan and Yelk, said they would support 'the people's candidate' Pashinyan.
On May 3, the document with 41 signatures supporting Pashinyan's nomination as the candidate for prime minister was submitted to the Armenian National Assembly's secretariat. The candidate needs 53 votes to be elected prime minister.