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Kremlin hopes for early settlement of differences in Armenia

Moscow hopes that answers will be found to all the problems in strict compliance with Armenian laws and wishes peace and prosperity to Armenia, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov says

MOSCOW, June 24 /TASS/. Kremlin hopes that differences in Armenia will soon be settled and prosperity and peace will be restored, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists on Wednesday.

"We hope that answers will be found to all the problems in strict compliance with Armenian laws. We wish peace and prosperity to Armenia. We also wish it to settle all the differences, " Peskov said.

Asked whether there had been any contacts with the Armenian leadership, Peskov said that Russia and Yerevan maintained close partnership and jointly participated in integration processes. "These contacts are permanent," the Kremlin spokesman explained.

Peskov refused to predict how the situation in Armenia could develop further . "We do not make forecasts," he said.

The Commission for regulation of the country’s pubic services considered a request received from CJSC "Electric Networks of Armenia" distribution company, a subsidiary of RAO UES INTERNATIONAL, on June 17 and satisfied it partly by raising electricity tariffs by 6.93 Armenian drams (about $0.015). The measure which is to take effect on August 1 caused a wave of indignation among ordinary Armenians who assumed that the electricity price hike would automatically increase prices for essentials and many services. Armenia’s opposition forces used that public discontent to stage mass protests in central Yerevan.