Presidential candidates in breakaway Azeri region appeal to voters

Arminfo
23 Jun 07

Yerevan, 23 June: In the past, many programmes [presented by
presidential candidates] could not be implemented although they were
reflective of the problems of the Karabakh people. This was because of
a lack of a personality or personalities, presidential candidate Bako
Sahakyan, former head of Nagornyy Karabakh’s national security service,
told Nagornyy Karabakh’s Public TV.

"Therefore, I support the principles ‘programme through personality’ or
‘personality with its platform’," Sahakyan said. He called on the
candidates to respect each other and the voters.

"By doing so, we will help hold a high-level election. Our people have
always been committed to democratic principles. They have behaved in
elections of various levels in a way that international missions and
observers have unanimously noted not only high level organization of
elections. I think that we will keep to our traditions in this election
as well," Sahakyan said.

Another front-runner of Nagornyy Karabakh’s presidential election,
former deputy foreign minister Masis Mailyan, mentioned during his
speech on Public TV that he was not satisfied with the present pace of
the country’s development. "We have programmes and aims, as well as
will and decisiveness to realize these programmes. By this, we will
make out country even more powerful. We should build a state, living in
which should be an honour to all of us. If you support real reforms, if
you want to change your life and enjoy your rights, we must be
together," Mailyan said.

The following people are running for Nagornyy Karabakh’s president: MP
Armen Abgaryan; professor of the Artsakh State University Vanya
Avanesyan; Nagornyy Karabakh’s deputy foreign minister Masis Mailyan;
leader of the Communist Party of Nagornyy Karabakh, Hrant Melkumyan;
and the former head of Nagornyy Karabakh’s national security service,
Bako Sahakyan.