PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS IN ARMENIA TO BE HELD IN SITUATION "CLOSE TO MARTIAL"

Regnum, Russia
Aug. 22, 2006

"Elections to Armenia’s National Assembly in 2007 will be held
in a situation close to martial," Chairman of the oppositional
Constitutional Law Union, Grant Khachatryan, has announced at a news
conference on August 22. According to him, during the fighting for
parliamentary seats the opposition should come forwards as a united
group in controlling the election process. "The opposition should be
a united group to let the elections come fairly and without fraud,"
Khachatryan is quoted as saying.

As for ideological positions, the party leader believes that from
this point of view it would be a mistake to step forth by a single
party ticket. "Several opposition blocs should be presented at the
elections united with a single idea," he noted. However, as Grant
Khachatryan put it, contrary to the authorities that are "represented
in the country by two faces" the opposition has not made public its
message. "Preparation work is being held in the opposition now.

Numbers of party members are being confirmed, possible unions
are considered," he notes adding that "the opposition nowadays is
sending its whole energy towards residents of Armenia’s provinces
and communities." "We have been carrying out local congresses in the
provinces, electing party officials," Khachatryan says.

"The two faces" of the Armenian power, according to Khachatryan, differ
completely fro one another. "The first face is a forceful one, it is
notorious in the press and public discussions for its criminal ties;
the other one is a nice and friendly face, as if it is presenting
a claim to improve the situation in the republic, but it is nothing
but a semblance," the opposition leader believes.

It is worth mentioning, the ruling coalition in Armenia is presented
by two parties, Dashnaktsutiun Revolutionary Federation and Armenia’s
Republican Party. The prime minister’s position belongs to the
Republicans. In mid-September, the Constitutional Law Union intends
to hold a party congress.