"ALTERNATIVE" FOLLOWING THE EXAMPLE OF "KARABAKH COMMITTEE"

A1+
[04:43 pm] 10 October, 2006

Today, "Alternative" social-political initiative announced the launch
of its political activity. The main characteristics of this initiative
is that "it involves not political forces or parties but individuals."

With this feature the initiative differs from other formats existing
prior to it which ended in failure.

Part of these "individuals" are former high-rank officials, among
them Babken Ararktsyan, Vahagn Khachatryan, Erjanik Abgaryan, Samvel
Abrahamyan, Samvel Grigoryan, Vahram Dumanyan, Aghasy Enoqyan, Sedrak
Hovhannesyan, Samson Ghazaryan, David Matevosyan, Petros Makeyan,
Daivid Meliqyan, Ghukas Mehrabyan, Vardges Lazarian, Ashot Sargsyan,
Karen Sargsyan, Tigran Sedrakyan and Nikol Pashinyan (editor-in-chief
of "Armenian Time" daily). With the exception of Nikol Pashinyan,
all above-mentioned people were formerly members of Armenian National
Movement. At present some of them are members of "Armat" NGO. Today
they announced that their adherents are people supporting the ideas
of the Armenian National Movement and are ready to "transfer the
tendency to be the first in the political arena with the readiness
to be the last," says their announcement.

Nikol Pashinyan claims that this initiative is an alliance of people
of the same ideology and approaches which will allow the citizens to
vote judging by the program provisions and not by the appearance or
other factors.

The Alternative Initiators are sure of their success and they are
ready to cooperate. They issued a number of documents on social,
economic, political issues, assessments on the Karabakh conflict
regulation and outcomes of the difficult situations.

Asked the secret of their activity in comparison with other groups
existing in 2000, Aghasy Enoqyan answered, "This is not an alliance
of parties but a unity of individuals. The failure of former formats
was determined by the formats as their were conflicts inside each
party. We have distinct plan of activities and there is no doubt our
plan will work." By the way, the initiative intends to apply all the
means of struggle – referendums, rallies, etc.