Armenia’s first president still to have final say in politics – ex-speaker

Arminfo
1 Dec 04

YEREVAN

The first Armenian president, Levon Ter-Petrosyan, has not abandoned
big-time politics, Babken Ararktsyan, former speaker of the Armenian
National Assembly and one of the ideologists of the former ruling
Armenian Pan-National Movement [APNM], told a press conference today.

“I do not think that he has abandoned politics, neither today nor at
any other time. Another issue is whether he has abandoned public
politics,” the former speaker said. Ter-Petrosyan is the first
Armenian president and naturally, there is an interest in him both in
the country and abroad. “He has always kept abreast of what is going
on, and I am sure that at decisive moments, especially when it comes
to processes around Nagornyy Karabakh, he cannot remain indifferent,”
Ararktsyan said.

As for the APNM’s cooperation with other opposition parties, the
former speaker said that cooperation should be based on similar
ideological approaches. If this is not the case, the cooperation will
be short-lived, Ararktsyan added.