Moscow concerned over Paraguay

MOSCOW, June 22 (Itar-Tass) —— Russia is concerned over the situation

 in Paraguay where the parliament has begun the impeachment of President

 Fernando Armindo Lugo Mendez and hopes that the national political forces

 will keep within the lawful framework, the Russian Foreign Ministry said on Friday.

“Moscow is concerned over the situation in Paraguay where the parliament has

 begun the impeachment of President Fernando Armindo Lugo Mendez.

 Hopefully, the national political forces will keep within the lawful 

framework, being guided with constitutional norms and laws of Paraguay and

 respecting the sovereign choice of the people of Paraguay,” the ministry said.

In this context Moscow welcomes efforts of member countries of the Union 

of South American Nations (UNASUR), which have sent a high-level mission to

 Paraguay for the provision of democratic order, it said.

The parliament accused Lugo of malfeasance, which had caused to the death

 of 17 people in an armed clash between the police and landless farmers last week.

The bloodshed, for which the president was blamed, happened last Friday.

 More than a hundred of landless farmers who illegally occupied a private land

 lot 380 kilometers away from the Paraguay capital city ambushed the police

 detail which tried to drive them away from the land under a court order.

 Six policemen and eleven farmers died in the gunfire exchange, and 

more than 100 people were injured, including 20 heavily.