Karabakh leader says ready to cooperate with Dashnaks
Haykakan Zhamanak, Yerevan
22 Jun 05
The leader of Nagornyy Karabakh has said he is ready to cooperate with
the opposition Dashnaktsutyun Party despite the difficult relationship.
In an interview with the Armenian Haykakan Zhamanak daily, Arkadiy
Gukasyan accused the party of spreading false rumours ahead of the 19
June parliamentary elections which could potentially destabilize the
situation in the separatist republic. Gukasyan also said he did not
announce his plans for the forthcoming presidential elections since
this could cause panic among pro-government forces. The following is
an excerpt from Anna Israelyan’s report by Armenian newspaper Haykakan
Zhamanak on 22 June “I have not declared war on Dashnaktsutyun”;
subheadings have been inserted editorially:
[Haykakan Zhamanak correspondent] The bloc of the [Armenian]
Revolutionary Federation – Dashnaktsutyun [ARFD] and Movement-88 might
reject its three seats in the NKR [Nagornyy Karabakh Republic]
National Assembly of the fourth convocation. How do you assess
prospects of this parliament acting without the opposition?
[Arkadiy Gukasyan] I think this an absurd intention. I do not think
they will do this. But if they do, this will be evidence of their
futility. I think the parliament and the country on the whole need
opposition. But I do not think that if the RFD is not in the
parliament we shall have no opposition. We shall have opposition in
any case.
[Correspondent] Represented by Azat Ayrenik [Free Motherland Party]?
[Gukasyan] This cannot be ruled out.
[Correspondent] But this party is believed to be yours.
[Gukasyan] These people are mine.
Row with Dashnaks
[Correspondent] Representatives of the RFD – Movement-88 bloc say that
you should have said before the election campaign that you were the
president of everybody and guaranteed free elections. Instead, the
last day of the election campaign, though not mentioning names, you
made a speech against a party running in the elections. Why?
[Gukasyan] I do not think so. I said I was ready to guarantee free,
fair and transparent elections. I was elected by people and always
thought I am the president of everybody. But if RFD officials say they
do not consider Arkadiy Gukasyan to be the president of the whole of
Karabakh, it is their problem.
[Correspondent] Do you mean the statement of the RFD Karabakh central
committee made on 29 December 2004 that says: “The person who became
the leader of the NKR has failed to understand the essence of his
mission and be on the appropriate level. He has failed to become the
symbol of unity and accord.”?
[Gukasyan] I cannot imagine how I can persuade them that I am the
president of everybody after these kinds of statements. But if they do
not want to see me as the president, this is their problem. They do
not represent the whole people of Karabakh.
[Correspondent] Why did the Dashnaks in Karabakh go into opposition?
Was [former NKR Minister of Education and Culture] Armen Sarkisyan’s
dismissal the only reason for this? Or is the RFD displeased with the
social and economic situation?
[Gukasyan] It would be more correct to ask the RFD this question, let
them explain. I see no serious grounds to behave in this way.
[Correspondent] Earlier we asked this question the RFD’s Karabakh
representatives and they replied that the RFD did not always agree
with your personnel and structural policies and your approaches on the
shadow economy and agricultural credit programmes.
[Gukasyan] I am sure that in the NKR we are capable of ensuring
natural economic growth and this will be obvious for everybody who
will compare Karabakh and Stepanakert of 2005 and of 1999-2000. I am
sure that we have managed to settle many social and economic problems.
I have never received any constructive offer or programme from the
RFD. It is easy to criticize, but I have never heard them propose an
alternative option.
“Karabakh is not Kyrgyzstan”
[Correspondent] On the final day of the campaign you said in your TV
speech that “false rumours are being spread that the authorities have
been instructed to put pressure on electorate, people are frightened,
and voters are forbidden to meet candidates from some political
organizations”. Why do you think these reports are groundless while
representatives of the RFD – Movement-88 bloc say they sent letters to
you and the NKR prime minister in which they mentioned the names of
the officials who committed these violations, but the letters remained
unanswered?
[Gukasyan] I received only one letter. And the information provided in
the letter was not confirmed. I am sure that the rumours spread by the
bloc are mainly false.
[Correspondent] Were you making a threat when you said in your speech:
“Any attempt by any party to destabilize the situation after the
elections will be assessed appropriately. Those who will initiate or
carry out this will be punished with the utmost rigour of the law.”?
[Gukasyan] This concerned violations as well. I am a guarantor of
stability and legality in Nagornyy Karabakh and I think I had a reason
to make this statement since certain forces and people are trying to
create an impression that it is Kyrgyzstan or Georgia here.
[Correspondent] Does this mean you were informed that the events that
took place in these countries may repeat in Karabakh?
[Gukasyan] I rule out this since Karabakh is not Kyrgyzstan. I do not
even think that this is possible in Karabakh. I did not mean real
steps but the fact that these rumours could damage stability in the
NKR.
[Correspondent] Representatives of the bloc say that you should have
made a special statement saying you are not going to be nominated for
a third term. This could certainly ease the atmosphere since the
parliamentary elections are regarded as a kind of preparation for the
2007 presidential elections.
[Gukasyan] I do not think that this statement was necessary. They
might have been more interested in another aspect: if I make such a
statement, the pro-government team will find itself in panic.
But I really do not have such an intention, especially as the law does
not allow me to run for a third term.
[Passage omitted: minor details]
No bridges burnt
[Correspondent] In its statement in December 2004, the RFD Central
Committee hoped that Arkadiy Gukasyan “will finally start improving
his relationship with Dashnaktsutyun”. Have all the bridges of mutual
understanding and cooperation been burnt?
[Gukasyan] I have not burnt any bridges. I do not think this is the
general position of Dashnaktsutyun. This is the approach of its local
officials. They have made many statements and, if you noticed, I have
not even replied to them.
The president is obliged to cooperate with all political forces. Today
I am also ready to cooperate irrespective of the number of
representatives of a certain political force in the parliament. I did
not declare war on anybody and if it seems to them that I have to make
some steps, I think it is them who have to make these steps. It is
them who are making statements that are worsening the situation.
But I would like to say that I highly appreciate the role of all the
NKR parties, including the RFD. I reiterate that I am ready to
cooperate with them, listen to them and accept any of their
constructive proposals. And I am sure that we shall cooperate.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress