"Exit poll gives Armenian leader new term" Associated Press, February 19, 2013
YEREVAN, Armenia — Armenian President Serge Sarkisian was reelected, according to an exit poll, winning 58 percent of the ballots. The closest of his six rivals, the American-born Raffi Hovanessian, who was post-Soviet Armenia’s first foreign minister, polled 32 percent....
Sarkisian’s victory had been expected. He has overseen a return to economic growth after years of stagnation, although the former Soviet republic still suffers from widespread poverty....
The top challenger, Hovanessian, accused Sarkisian of losing an arms race with Azerbaijan, a long-standing rival.
He also contended that billions of dollars have disappeared from the state budget because of corruption under Sarkisian and emphasized the large number of Armenians leaving the country to pursue better opportunities.
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"Armenian president wins second term" by David M. Herszenhorn | New York Times, February 20, 2013
The country has struggled because of closed borders with Turkey and Azerbaijan, its enemy in a continuing war over the disputed territory of Nagorno-Karabakh.
President Serzh Sargsyan’s second term will be watched closely for any sign of progress in resolving the war with Azerbaijan and for any indication that Armenia would reduce support for economic sanctions against Iran, as they make life more difficult in both countries.
The conflict over Nagorno-Karabakh continues at a low simmer with periodic violence along the line of contact, including frequent exchanges of gunfire and occasional casualties. Peace talks led by the so-called Minsk Group, which is led by the United States, Russia, and France, have mostly stalled.
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