Russia Calls for Restoring Legal Order in Argentina

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Saturday, December 22, 2001

Russia Calls for Restoring Legal Order in Argentina

Russia said Friday it hoped thesituation in Argentina would "remain within the constitutional framework," and called for an early resumption of the country's legal system.

Russia said Friday it hoped thesituation in Argentina would "remain within the constitutional framework," and called for an early resumption of the country's legal system.

"Argentine society should be able to work out steps that will help overcome the prolonged crisis and restore political stabilityin the country," Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Alexander Yakovenko told reporters.

"Moscow is deeply concerned over the critical turn of events inArgentina, where aggravating social and economic problems triggered a profound political crisis and the resignation of the president and the government," Yakovenko stated.

Russia has long maintained good relations with the South American country.

In the framework of international institutions and the G-8, Russia was prepared to "offer assistance for creating the necessary conditions for normalizing the situation in Argentina," Yakovenko said.

On Thursday, Yakovenko also told the press that Russia expectedcivil peace to be soon restored in Argentina where a riot had broken out and an emergency situation declared.

Russia, acting together with other members of international organizations, has contributed and kept contributing to the creation of necessary external conditions for normalizing the situation in Argentina, he said.

He stressed that the unrest in the Argentine capital Buenos Aires and other cities in the country resulted from the worsening financial position of the population caused by an economic crisis.

The crisis began three years ago and had become sharply aggravated over the past few weeks, triggering social and political tensions in the country.

Argentina is presently on the brink of default on its 132 billion U.S. dollars of foreign debt and of devaluation of the national currency. Economic activity in the country is almost wholly paralyzed.

According to latest reports from Argentina, dozens of people have been killed and more than 150, including scores of policemen,wounded as thousands of Argentines looted stores and supermarkets in Buenos Aires and other cities, claiming they were going hungry.

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