OSKANIAN SACKS SIX DIPLOMATS FOR SUPPORTING EX-PRESIDENT
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 25, ARMENPRESS: Foreign minister Vartan Oskanian was expected today to formally fire six senior officials of the foreign ministry after they Sunday publicly condemned their government's handling of the February 19 presidential election and joined the former president Levon Ter-Petrosian.
Speaking to journalists today Oskanian said all were sacked for violating the law that bars diplomats from making such statements.
In a joint statement read out at a Ter-Petrosian rally on Friday, the foreign ministry officials said they were `outraged' at serious fraud which they said prevented the vote from being `civilized, free and fair.' `Only by acting in conformity with the letter and spirit of the law can we create democracy and tolerance in Armenia and earn the country a good reputation abroad,' they said.
The statement's signatories included the chief foreign ministry spokesman, Vladimir Karapetian, and the heads of the ministry's NATO, North America and United Nations desks.
Oskanian admitted today it was a painful decision for him to dismiss these people who he said are all skilled diplomats.
Oskanian also spoke about two ambassadors and one deputy foreign minister, who were sacked by president Kocharian earlier and stripped of their diplomatic ranks for voicing their support to Ter-Petrosian.
"These diplomats supported the man who was criticizing the government throughout his election campaign. How could the president who appointed them (ambassadors) to these posts, tolerate their dissent," Oskanian asked.