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| Armenia holds parliamentary poll | |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| Armenia is holding a parliamentary election seen as a test of the country's commitment to democracy. | Armenia is holding a parliamentary election seen as a test of the country's commitment to democracy. |
| The governing Republican Party led by Prime Minister Serzh Sarksyan is expected to defeat the opposition. | The governing Republican Party led by Prime Minister Serzh Sarksyan is expected to defeat the opposition. |
| This is Armenia's fourth election since it gained independence in 1991. Foreign monitors said the last poll, in 2003, did not meet democratic standards. | This is Armenia's fourth election since it gained independence in 1991. Foreign monitors said the last poll, in 2003, did not meet democratic standards. |
| Ahead of the vote Western countries have warned of serious consequences if Armenia does not improve this record. | Ahead of the vote Western countries have warned of serious consequences if Armenia does not improve this record. |
| "The real test is on election day and during counting," a spokesman for the Organisation for Security and Co-operation of Europe (OSCE) monitors told Reuters news agency. | "The real test is on election day and during counting," a spokesman for the Organisation for Security and Co-operation of Europe (OSCE) monitors told Reuters news agency. |
| "That is a corner stone," he added. | "That is a corner stone," he added. |
| If there is evidence of fraud, Armenia could lose more than $200m (£101m) of American development aid and the possibility of closer links with the European Union, the BBC's Matthew Collin in Yerevan says. | |
| These are vital for the future of this small, impoverished and isolated country, our correspondent says. | |
| 'Buying support' | |
| Polling stations across Armenia opened at 0800 local time (0300 GMT). | |
| About 2.3m voters are registered to elect 131 members of the country's National Assembly. | |
| The start of the campaign was marred by a series of violent attacks. | |
| Questions were also raised about the conduct of some politicians who had been offering gifts to potential voters. | |
| Our correspondent says some opposition parties believe the vote will be rigged so Armenia's elite can retain its wealth and power. | |
| Critics have accused the authorities of trying to silence dissent and have vowed to launch protests after the elections. | |
| Officials say that changes in the country's electoral law will make these polls more democratic. | |
| Armenia fought an unresolved war with neighbouring Azerbaijan over the Nagorno-Karabakh region after the break-up of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s. | |
| Yerevan also has fraught relations with Turkey. | |
| Earlier this week, Armenia angered OSCE by refusing to grant visas to eight Turkish members of its 400-strong group of foreign observers. | Earlier this week, Armenia angered OSCE by refusing to grant visas to eight Turkish members of its 400-strong group of foreign observers. |