Armenian president to stand down in 2008, adviser says

AP Worldstream; May 20, 2006

Armenian President Robert Kocharian is to step down at the end of his
second term in 2008, a top adviser said Saturday.

Kocharian, who has ruled his impoverished, landlocked Caucasus
Mountain nation since 1998, could hand the reins over to his defense
minister, said the president’s national security adviser, Garnik
Isagulian.

“One of those who is most experienced and ready to be the next
president of Armenia is the defense minister Serzh Sarkisian,” he
said.

“In this case, Armenia’s current political course will be pursued,”
Isagulian added.

The opposition in Armenia claims that Kocharian is preparing to change
the Constitution to allow him to be re-elected for a third consecutive
term. But the presidential adviser said that Kocharian did not want to
harm the legitimacy of the presidency.

“A person who has given so many years of his life to important state
affairs would never take such a step,” he said.

However, Kocharian will retain major political influence in the
country even after he leaves office, said Isagulian.

“Kocharian after he finishes his second term will continue to wield
influence over the political life of the country, even greater than
that of the prime minister,” he said.