Armenia Leader Joins Widening Presidential Race
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YEREVAN, Armenia — The field of candidates in Armenia’s presidential election grew more competitive Monday as acting President Robert Kocharyan joined the race and a ban on the main opposition party was lifted.
Kocharyan, 43, who is also prime minister, was the leader of the volatile Nagorno-Karabakh republic until March, when then-President Levon A. Ter-Petrosyan brought him in to lead the Yerevan government. Karabakh, an area populated mostly by ethnic Armenians, broke away from Azerbaijan.
However, there are constitutional questions about Kocharyan’s candidacy because he is not considered an Armenian citizen. He plans to take his case to the Supreme Court.
The new election in Armenia--a former Soviet republic of 3.5 million people--is set for March 16.
In a separate development, the Justice Ministry removed a ban on the nationalist Dashnak party Monday, clearing the way for it to take part in the election.
The party was banned in 1994 by Ter-Petrosyan, who accused it of links with drug trafficking and terrorism. It denied the charges.
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