A1 Plus | 19:22:18 | 19-04-2004 | Politics |

PRESIDENT KOCHARYAN TAKEN HARD-LINE STANCE

“If the opposition tries to attract public attention by clogging the capital
‘s roads, the police will do what ought to do”, President Kocharyan said in
his interview with Russia’s Izvestia newspaper .{BR}

It is the forth time Kocharyan has said in his interviews with Russian news
agencies the opposition movement’s recent splash had been prompted by
Georgian velvet revolution.

Our reality can’t be compared with Georgian, he said.

Kocharyan hinted that condemnation statements of international structures
are encouraging political extremists.

Answering to Izvestia newspaper’s correspondent if he finds possible some
compromise with the opposition, Kocharyan ruled out any concession from his
side and urged opposition MPs to return to parliament and work.

Asked does he intend to make some changes in his policy, for example, to
launch a large-scale anticorruption campaign, as Georgian president does,
Kocharyan said “no, we have intention to intensify our efforts to eliminate
poverty”.