RUSSIA TAKES SIDES IN ARMENIAN ELECTIONS

Kommersant, Russia
April 9 2007

Campaigning for elections to the national assembly officially started
yesterday in Armenia. The elections will be on May 12. They are
considered a practice run for next year’s presidential race. Armenian
authorities have begun early with a hard push for the ruling Republican
Party, headed by Prime Minister Serge Sarkasyan. Russian officials
have also thrown their weight behind the party.

There are 1314 candidates from 24 parties and blocs competing for 131
seats in the Armenian parliament. The surge of enthusiasm is due to the
fact that Armenian President Robert Kocharyan’s term ends next year,
and everyone in the parliament will then have a shot at the presidency.

The Republican Party is headed by former defense minister and current
prime minister of Armenia Serge Sarkasyan. He took over as prime
minister after the death of Prime Minister Andranik Margaryan from a
heart attack on March 25 and quickly drew attention to himself as a
potential successor to Kocharyan. Sarkasyan has received the personal
endorsement of the president and members of his administration.

Of the 14 parties competing for seat in the parliament, only six
are expected to succeed – the Republican Party, Prosperous Armenia,
Dashnaktsutyun Armenian Revolutionary Federation, the Country of
Legality, National Unity and the People’s Party, predicted presidential
adviser Garnik Isagulyan. Prosperous Armenia is led by Gagik Tsarukyan,
the richest person in Armenia and chairman of the national Olympic
Committee. Analysts consider it a creation of the authorities as a
backup incase of a setback to the Republican Party.

So far, there are no setbacks on the horizon for the Republican
Party. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov was in Armenia last
week and expressed the Russian government’s support for Sarkasyan.

Russia traditionally plays an important role in the internal affairs
of Armenia. Several other Russian officials have voiced support for
Sarkasyan since then, including Prime Minister Mikhail Fradkov and
head of the Audit Chamber Sergey Stepashin.