The hostage situation at Erebuni is coming to a close, but the political crisis it triggered in Armenia is likely to continue

"Cautious optimism is an essential quality for a peace-builder!"

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In a statement the EU stressed that the use of force to achieve political change is unacceptable and also noted with concern reports on excessive use of force and mass arrests by the police

A night of clashes leaves many wounded and arrested, amid reports of mistreatment by police.

Armenian police clashed with protesters overnight in the Erebuni District of the capital Yerevan in the vicinity of a police station where armed men are holding a number of hostages. There are reports that several people were injured and others arrested as the police tried to disperse a crowd sympathetic to the armed group.

The state of emergency allows the president and cabinet to bypass parliament in passing new laws and to limit rights and freedoms as they deem necessary.

Qafqaz University, the largest private university in Azerbaijan has closed after allegations of links with Gulenist Movement

Welcome to commonspace.eu These are the regional News Headlines on Wednesday, 20 July 2016 at 0700 GMT: The standoff at an Armenian Police Station in the capital Yerevan where armed men are holding a number of hostages continues. The situation this morning is reported calm following scuffles last night between police and sympathisers of the armed men trying to converge on the police station……….Turkey’s National Security Council is expected to meet later today for the first time since the failed coup attempt of last Friday. Turkish president Recip Tayip Erdogan said that an important announcement will be made after the meeting………..President Obama had a phone conversation with Turkish President Erdogan on Tuesday during which the US leader pledged full support for Turkey’s democratic institutions. A spokesman for the White House said that the US had received an electronic request for the extradition of Turkish cleric Fettulah Gullen who is being blamed by the Turkish government as being behind last Friday’s failed military coup. The request will now be assessed by the Justice Department and the State Department. Turkey and the United States have an extradition treaty between them…..More news and analysis throughout the day on commonspace.eu

Georgian Premier Giorgi Kvirikashvili on Tuesday visited Ankara, the first foreign leader to pay an official visit to Turkey following last Friday's failed coup.