ARAM KARAPETIAN DOUBTS THAT ARF AND BARGAVACH HAYASTAN TO SUPPORT SERGE SARGSIAN’S CANDIDATURE AT PRESIDENT’S ELECTIONS
Noyan Tapan
May 30 2007
YEREVAN, MAY 30, NOYAN TAPAN. The opposition’s participation in the
president’s elections with a joint candidate is the authorities’
bait. Aram Karapetian, the leader of the Nor Zhamanakner (New Times)
party made such a statement at the May 30 meeting with journalists. In
his words, there is neither such a necessity nor such a possibility at
present: "what meaning do the discussions about a joint candidate have
if Chairman of the Azgayin Miabanutiun (National Unity) party Artashes
Geghamian stated just from the beginning about his participation in the
president’s elections?" According to foresight of the Nor Zhamanakner
head, the president’s elections will be held by two stages, by the way,
the opposing candidate entered the second stage who will be supported
by other opposing forces, will naturally become a joint candidate.
Instead of discussing problems of the opposition, in A. Karapetian’s
words, it would be correct that the authorities think about having
their own joint candidate and care if the Armenian Revolutionary
Federation and Bargavach Hayastan (Prosperous Armenia) party will
support candidature of RA Prime Minister Serge Sargsian.
A. Karapetian reminded that he addressed to the Prosecutor’s Office
for the aspersion published about him in the Hayots Ashkharh (Armenian
World) newspaper. In one of its articles the newspaper called the Nor
Zhamanakner head "a secret agent with who the center keeps contact
with the help of door duster."
A. Karapetian stated that article author, respondant Gagik Mkrtchian
mentioned in the explanation given to the police that in Aghayan’s
dictionary the word "agent" means "a clergyman managing spiritual
affairs of a territory," and with the expression "contact with
the center" he meant "the contact with the much-suffered Armenian
people." G. Mkrtchian also insisted in his explanation that
"A. Karapetian is today the manager of the spiritual affairs of the
whole opposition."