Armenpress

KOCHARIAN SAYS ARMENIA LACKS FACTORS IGNITING POPULAR REVOLT, ENDORSES
COMPROMISE SOLUTION TO KARABAGH DISPUTE

YEREVAN, APRIL 11, ARMENPRESS: Armenian president Robert Kocharian argued
down forecasts that Armenia is likely to become another post-Soviet
republic, which are likely to see a wave of popular revolt against the
authorities, as it happened in Georgia, Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan, but admitted
that what had happened in these republics could become a cause for an
in-depth analysis, as “besides some similarities, there were obvious
differences behind motives that sparked popular revolts in these former
Soviet republics, both of cultural and material nature, besides some
similarities.”
Speaking to a meeting with students and professors of Yerevan State
University, Kocharian said “these revolutionary” processes occurred at a
time when all three nations had national elections, at a period “when the
entire society is electrified to the greatest extent.”
Kocharian also argued that another reason helping opposition forces in
these countries to force previous regimes out, was “the weak power held by
their leaderships, as weak that they were unable to resolve all current
problems of the population.”
“When Eduard Shevardnadze was president of Georgia people did not receive
wages and pensions for 8-10 months. The situation was not better in
Kyrgyzstan, that has 5 million population and whose 2005 budget is only $300
million, while Armenia’s 2005 budget, that has smaller population, is around
$800 million,” Kocharian reasoned, adding that the former Ukrainian
administration likewise had a weak grip on power, despite economic growth
rates, aggravated by discrepancies between western and eastern parts of the
country.
Kocharian also said revolutions in Georgia, Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan have
brought to power people, who used to hold top positions in the previous
governments. “These men earned the reputation of young reformers and were
sacked for their ideas calling for boosting economic and political
development,” he said.
Kocharian went on to argue that “a change of generation” took places in
these countries, a process that occurred in Armenia twice, in 1991 and 1998.
“Armenia lacks all these factors. Armenian authorities welcome people with
constructive ideas, but not get rid of them,” Kocharian said adding that
next national elections will take place in due time.
Addressing the Armenian opposition, the president advised it “to take
easy” its failure to force him out of power. “That was not because that the
Armenian opposition is worse than in other post-Soviet countries. The fact
is that Armenia is a better country,” he said.
Kocharian ALSO endorsed today an earlier statement by defense minister
Serzh Sarkisian that the only way of resolving the Nagorno Karabagh conflict
is a peace deal based on mutual concessions, saying Armenia has never denied
that there is no alternative to a compromise solution to the conflict. The
alternative, according to him, is the unconditional surrender of one of the
sides. “None is going to do it,” he said.
Kocharian said the extent of the Armenian side’s compromises is hinged on
domestic political and economic stability, as well as on the international
community’s approaches. “A party involved in direct talks feels stronger and
more confident, when it is backed by a strong and stable country,” Kocharian
said.
Kocharian also shrugged off allegations that the conflicting sides are
under strong international pressure to accept their proposals. “No one
imposes anything on any side, quite the contrary, international piece
brokers and some organizations repeatedly say they are willing to exercise
all their resources to help Armenia and Azerbaijan reach a mutually
acceptable peace formula,” he said.
“The Armenia side’s readiness for compromises is not the result of a
pressure, it is absolutely voluntary,” he said and added that an option that
was used in the Balkans would not work with regard to Karabagh. “The
international community interfered in the Balkans at a time of heavy
military actions to prevent deterioration of the humanitarian crisis, while
there is a decade of peace in Karabagh, where the situation is quite
different,” Kocharian said.