ARMENIAN PROSECUTOR RALLIES PRESSURE GROUPS
By Hovannes Shoghikian
Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
Sept 25 2006
In a move underscoring his political ambitions, Prosecutor-General
Aghvan Hovsepian presided at the weekend over the creation of an
alliance of non-governmental organizations uniting prominent natives
of various regions of Armenia and Nagorno-Karabakh.
Hovsepian was elected "honorary chairman" of the grouping of about
three dozen "compatriots’ unions," including his influential Nig-Aparan
organization. Its elected nominal leader, parliament deputy Vahram
Baghdasarian, claimed that the new "congregation" will be "apolitical"
and will have no ties with any political party.
However, Baghdasarian himself is a politician and a leading member of
the recently formed Association for Armenia party, which is widely
believed to be sponsored by Hovsepian. The latter was at pains to
repeat that he has no far-reaching political ambitions and that the
"congregation" will not cater for his interests.
"Do not try to drag me into politics with a donkey-like stubbornness,"
said Hovsepian. "I will not engage in politics."
Hovsepian’s assurances are dismissed by leading Armenian politicians
and commentators. One of them, the governing Armenian Revolutionary
Federation (Dashnaktsutyun), has repeatedly condemned his perceived
involvement in political activities. The influential prosecutor is
widely seen as a potential major contender in the next presidential
election due in 2008.
Speaking at the congregation’s founding conference, Anahit Sargsian,
a senior member of Nig-Aparan, made it clear that the consolidating
"compatriots’ union" will not be "indifferent to [the question of]
who will be the republic’s president and prime minister, parliament
deputy or mayors of cities, towns and villages."
Sargsian also took a swipe at Armenia’s mainstream governing and
opposition parties, saying that they have all "have exhausted
themselves" and "blinded themselves with their materialistic zeal."
"They are now discredited in the eyes of the people," she charged.
The remarks were denounced by Hamlet Harutiunian of the Artsakh Union
of Armenia-based natives of Karabakh, which also joined the grouping.
"In general, nothing exhausts itself, especially political parties,"
he told RFE/RL.