LEVON TER-PETROSSYAN ANSWERING JOURNALISTS’ QUESTIONS

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25-11-2004

Armenian former president Levon Ter-Petrossyan answered the questions
journalists put to him in Zvartnots airport Thursday upon his arrival
in Yerevan after his journey to the U.S.A.

A few years ago you said people will need you and ask to come back
to political activity.

I’ve never said this.

You said “if you ask, I’ll be back”.

Not a bit of it. In 2001 I was asked if I want to run for the third
term I refused saying it would be contrary to the Constitution. Then I
joked and said if people wouldn’t ask me I wouldn’t return. My words
was distorted and turned to a legend.

Today your article War or Peace is being published again and
again. What do you think, why?

I am glad that eventually it attracted proper attention and serious
consideration. What I said in my article didn’t lose its up-to-date
significance. It became more urgent nowadays, as there is no any
progress in Karabakh issue and even negative consequences are already
seen. It became more difficult to solve the issue.

Do you think war can resume?

I don’t rule it out.

Can you return where you was, or there is no way back?

I think no. We can’t reckon on the same what we could get in 1997.

Even in the event of your return to power?

It is impossible under any circumstance.

What can be done in present situation?

This is the current authorities’ duty, not mine.

Didn’t you regret that once called Robert Kocharyan to Armenia.

I don’t regret, because I invited him as a prime minister. It was
perhaps the only my step that received unanimous public approval.

But now people are unhappy about that.

It is easy to tell history in conjunctive mood.