DIALOGUE THE BEST WAY TO RESOLVE PROBLEMS, PRESIDENT KOCHARIAN SAYS

YEREVAN, APRIL 14, ARMENPRESS: Armenian president Robert
Kochariansaid today that dialogue between conflicting political forces
is the best way to resolve their problems, but denounced the
opposition for “presenting ultimatums.” Meeting today with members of
the ruling board of the United Communist Party, the president recalled
that members of the ruling coalition had a series of meeting in the
last months with opposition leaders in a bid to seek their agreement
for easing the mounting standoff through a dialogue.

Kocharian’s press office said that the president has unveiled his
approaches towards the current domestic situation, putting the blame
for high tension on that segment of the opposition, which has chosen
extremism as modus operandi. The president also defended the security
forces, whose actions hesaid were aimed at restoring order and law and
were within the frames established by relevant laws.

The president argued that the ultimate goal of the opposition
should not differ from that of the authorities, which is to improve
the living standards of people. One of the functions of the
opposition, according to him, is keep under a permanent scrutiny the
government’s performance to warn against deviations from the right
path.

“Today the opposition is fully able to return to normal work, but
if it decides to take another path, the authorities possess enough
resources, setby the law, to protect people and stave off any
manifestation of illegality and extremism,” Kocharian said. The
president also said that the recent days developments have had no
impact on the country’s economy, financial market and investment
environment.

The presidential press service said the conversation encompassed
also a range of other issues, among them the best ways for giving a
new boost to economic developments, improving tax and customs systems,
reinforcement of the climate of responsibility across the country.