Ex-president groomed to replace Armenia’s incumbent head – paper

Haykakan Zhamanak, Yerevan
1 Dec 04

Text of unattributed report by Armenian newspaper Haykakan Zhamanak on
1 December headlined “It continues”

Armenia’s first President Levon Ter-Petrosyan met Pietro Ago yesterday
[30 November]. Ago used to head the Ago group [of the Council of
Europe] that implemented monitoring in Armenia. At present, Ago is an
adviser at the foreign relations department of the Italian Foreign
Ministry.

Anyway, this meeting is evidence of the fact that the process of
Ter-Petrosyan’s political activation is continuing. The West shows
interest in Ter-Petrosyan since it wants to understand whether he is
ready to be an alternative to [incumbent Armenian President Robert]
Kocharyan. The West has been paying special attention recently to the
real rating of Ter-Petrosyan, his potential, the attitude of other
political forces to his possible return, as well as Ter-Petrosyan’s
mood, which is very important.

According to our information, at meetings with western ambassadors,
Ter-Petrosyan says that he is ready to return to politics when he is
sure that he can be elected in free and fair elections. Incidentally,
our source from one of foreign embassies has said that they think
Ter-Petrosyan’s rating is high especially in the state apparatus.