ARMENIA’S TOP LEADERS COULD BE INTERESTED IN PREMIER’S DEATH – AZERI WEBSITE

Day.az website, Baku
27 Mar 07

Text of report by Xabar analytical group on Azerbaijani website Day.az
on 27 March headlined "The secret of Armenian Prime Minister Andranik
Margaryan’s untimely death"

The sudden death of Armenian Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan not only
became a tragedy for his family and relatives, but also shocked his
numerous supporters and comrades in the Republican Party of Armenia
(RPA) he led.

Meanwhile, this tragedy gave rise to many questions, including the
opinion that the death of one of the most significant figures in
Armenian politics was not a natural one. It looks like there are
enough reasons to back such opinions when one tries to find out who
would benefit from the sudden death of the prime minister.

According to the close circle of the prime minister, Margaryan and
his family members received threatening phone calls recently demanding
that he resign and voluntarily leave the RPA he led. Many in Armenia
linked this to the election campaign and the plans of the forces close
to [Armenian President] Robert Kocharyan to neutralize Margaryan,
who until recently, enjoyed one of the highest ratings among the
politicians seeking high offices in the country.

In addition, it is reported that in his capacity of prime minister,
Margaryan possessed compromising documents about corruption in the
country’s armed forces, illegal property deals involving the top
military leadership of Armenia, as well as facts of illegal waste of
budget money envisaged for military purposes, and that he planned to
make those facts public before the parliamentary election set for 12
May 2007.

According to experts, who checked up Margaryan, the cardiac arrest was
provoked by an external factor that put enormous psychological pressure
on him and by nervousness not usual for the prime minister. His
relatives also seem to be suspicious about the late arrival of
ambulances during the cardiac arrest.

The analysis of the political developments in Armenia in the past
years, rich in facts of removal (including physically) of many of the
current regime’s opponents, indicates that only one force could be very
interested in the death of Margaryan, and that is the "Karabakh clan"
headed by President Robert Kocharyan and the mighty defence minister,
Serzh Sargsyan.

According to some information, the resignation of Andranik Margaryan
from the post of prime minister was mulled as early as in 2001 in
the corridors of power. President Kocharyan considered Margaryan’s
candidacy as a "transitional figure" and was planning to sack him
after strengthening his grip on power.

There were several reasons for that. First, the leaders of the
"Karabakh clan" did not trust a Yerevan native, who was trying to
play his own game.

Second, the prime minister maintained close ties with the opposition,
and in particular, the Republic Party, which united many comrades
of Margaryan.

Margaryan’s resignation, however, could have serious negative
consequences for the president and his circle. Taking into account
that the issue of Kocharyan’s power being illegitimate is hot, should
the chairman of the RPA that has the majority in parliament switch
to the opposition, this could result in initiating an impeachment of
Kocharyan backed by other anti-Kocharyan factions.

Because of these reasons, Kocharyan had to tolerate the unwanted
premiership of Margaryan until the confrontation between the head of
the cabinet and the representatives of the "Karabakh clan" reached
its peak. The forthcoming parliamentary election was the reason
for this. The thing is that the RPA has great chances to lead a
majority in the National Assembly [parliament] as was the case with
the past two elections. However, the prospect of Serzh Sargsyan,
who was included in the RPA last year, with a further nomination for
prime minister, escalated the confrontation between the Margaryan
supporters and the "Karabakh clan". Apparently, Andranik Margaryan
too, who, in the past years, managed to take control practically
of all the regions and local governments, was not very enthusiastic
about such a prospect. He was prepared to become a "used material"
in the hands of scriptwriter Kocharyan.

Therefore, Andranik Margaryan became a touchstone for the plan
of Kocharyan and the corrupt defence minister, Serzh Sargsyan, to
protect the political and economic longevity of the "Karabakh clan"
in Armenia. And in the fight for survival, that stone had to be either
buried to blown up. No other way is acceptable to these people as
life shows.