THOUSANDS ATTEND ARMENIAN PM’S FUNERAL
By Hovannes Shoghikian and Karine Kalantarian

Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
March 28 2007

Thousands of people joined Armenia’s top government officials and
politicians on Wednesday to take part in the state funeral of Prime
Minister Andranik Markarian, whose sudden death heightened political
uncertainty in the country.

Markarian, who died Sunday of a heart attack aged 55, was buried in
the national Komitas Pantheon after a lengthy funeral service that
began from his Yerevan apartment in the morning.

Hundreds of cars and buses slowly moved behind his coffin, placed on
an artillery caisson and surrounded by honor guard, towards the city
center. The procession briefly stopped outside the headquarters of
Markarian’s Republican Party (HHK) and the nearby main government
building before the body was taken to Yerevan’s State Opera House
where it lay in state for three hours.

Big crowds that gathered outside the building then filed past the open
coffin as President Robert Kocharian and top government officials and
prominent politicians took turns to stand guard over it. The ceremony
was broadcast live by state television.

Markarian’s body was carried through the city center to the Pantheon
after a prayer service led by Catholicos Garegin II, head of the
Armenian Apostolic Church. In an eulogy read out at the burial site,
parliament speaker Tigran Torosian, who is also a senior member of
the HHK, paid tribute to his longtime associate.

"For our state and our people, the loss of is immense and sorrow
infinitely deep," Torosian said. "But today … we can also see that
there is a lot we can draw comfort from." "Andranik Markarian will
be remembered as a remarkable statesman who distinguished himself
with a unique style and pronounced personality," he added.

Opposition politicians attending the ceremony also heaped praise on
the deceased premier, saying that he tolerated dissent and always
sought dialogue with his political opponents. "In my view, the most
important trait of Andranik Markarian was his kindness," said Artur
Baghdasarian, the former parliament speaker whose Orinats Yerkir
Party was part of the HHK-led governing coalition until last year.

Another well-known opposition parliamentarian, Arshak Sadoyan,
described Markarian as a "bridge between the government and the
opposition."

The funeral service was also attended by foreign dignitaries
representing over a dozen states and international organizations.

"Armenia has lost its great son, and I have lost a friend," one of
them, Georgian Prime Minister Zurab Noghaideli, told reporters.

"He felt bad for Armenia’s isolation and was confident that Armenia
will be a free and democratic country," said Russian Transport Minister
Igor Levitin.

The U.S. government was represented by Deputy Assistant Secretary
of State Matthew Bryza. "Prime Minister Markarian was a very good
and constructive partner," he said. "I had the honor to know him
personally."

Bryza refused to comment on political implications of the Armenian
premier’s death. "It’s really difficult to make predictions, and I
won’t do that because today is a very sad day," he explained.

Wednesday was an official day of mourning in Armenia, with flags on
government buildings and Armenian diplomatic missions abroad flying
at half-mast and television channels broadcasting mainly somber music.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress