WILL ARA ABRAHAMYAN BACK VAZGEN MANUKYAN?

Lragir, Armenia
Oct 19 2006

During his recent visit to Yerevan the president of the Union of
Armenians of Russia Ara Abrahamyan announced that in 2003 he backed
a number of political forces running for parliament. And since Ara
Abrahamyan also announced that he would back a political force in 2007,
and recently he has been often seen with the leader of the National
Democratic Union Vazgen Manukyan, we tried to find out during the
October 19 news conference if Ara Abrahamyan backed him in 2003 and
if he is likely to support him in 2007.

"For me, Ara Abrahamyan is first of all the brother of my close
friend. He is Gagik Abrahamyan’s brother. Gagik Abrahamyan’s family
and my family became close at the time of the first parliament. In
this sense, we have always been close, but you could have judged by
the results if there was backing or not. As for 2007, I do not know
what plans Ara Abrahamyan has," says Vazgen Manukyan. The impression is
that Ara Abrahamyan does not pursue political aims but national aims,
therefore Vazgen Manukyan finds it difficult to say something definite.