VAZGEN MANUKIAN DOES NOT EXCLUDE THAT OPPOSITION WILL GO TO ELECTIONS
AS PART OF SEVERAL BLOCS

YEREVAN, JANUARY 30, NOYAN TAPAN. The year 2007 will be very important
"in the respect of the breakthrough" that will continue in 2008, too
and will lead Armenia to a normal situation." RA MP Vazgen Manukian,
Chairman of National-Democratic Union, declared this at the January 30
press conference.

He did not exclude that the opposition can go to the elections as part
of two or three blocs, which, nevertheless, will cooperate with one
another in the issue of holding fair elections. As regards the issue,
what can be the basis of dividing the opposition into several blocs,
V.Manukian said that these can be both certain principles conditioned
by foreign orientations and the principle of "compatibility,"
existence of normal contact between them.

The NDU Chairman pointed to expediency of creating a united Council by
all opposition parties for fighting falsifications at the elections.
In his words, in 1995 the opposition had a possibility to take part in
formation of electoral commissions, while now the situation is much
worse, as they wittingly include vulnerable people in commissions for
exerting pressure upon them in the future. "Today the goal is not only
to falsify the elections, but to commit these falsifications
imperceptibly," V.Manukian considered.

In response to the question about strong and weak points of opposition
the NDU leader said that the opposition is strong with support of
prevailing majority of population, as even many officials within the
power are not content with its current course. As V.Manukian
estimated, opposition’s weak points are great number of parties and
almost absolute lack of funds, even for implementing organization
activities.