ArmInfo News Agency, Armenia
Nov 24 2006

ANM LEADER WARNS ARMENIAN PUBLIC AGAINST DISTINCT MESSAGES OF RUSSIA

Russia once again threatens Armenian independence, Aram Manoukyan,
one of the leaders of the Armenian National Movement ruling in
Armenia in 1990s, said at a press-conference, Friday.

A.Manoukyan noted that on the threshold of parliamentary elections in
Armenia, Russian "groupings" have sharply activated their work in the
political field of the republic. Though this has a negative effect on
political processes of the country, Armenia, however, will continue
to be on friendly terms with Russia. The latter tries to put all the
countries under its supervision. The case of Georgia is a distinct
message for all of them who doesn’t want to maintain good relations
with it, Manoukyan noted. According to him, there started a real
struggle between Armenian politicians trying to prove their devotion
to Russia. Leaders of practically all the parties stand in queue to
get Moscow’s approvement of their activity, though the country’s
independence should be superior to the party’s interests, he said.
A.Manoukyan connected the process of rapid "russification" of
Armenian politicians with the pre-electoral race, in the course of
which leaders of Armenian parties try "to build themselves up".
Particularly, he pointed out the hunting of people carried out by the
"Prospering Armenia" and the Republican Parties of Armenia which
fight for greater number of followers. A.Manoukyan said that he
himself would like to know the real results of the parliamentary
elections. He said that even if honest and transparent elections are
held in spring 2007, both Serzh Sarkisyan and Gagik Tsarukyan will
fail to get the overwhelming majority of votes, as no citizen of the
Republic will vote for them voluntarily.

At the same time, A.Manoukyan admitted that the action of
"distributing potatoes", implemented by Gagik Tsarukyan, the leader
of "Prospering Armenia", may have a considerable effect on the
pre-electoral mood of dwellers of the Armenian remote regions, and
this will turn the Armenian Parliament into "an assembly of people
having thick necks and thick wallets" and "not knowing how many
letters the Armenian alphabet has". He expressed hope that one day
the Armenian Parliament will consist of deputies having at least
distinct political views.