ARMENIAN PRESIDENTIAL AIDE SUPPORTS EX-SECURITY CHIEF IN KARABAKH POLLS

Hayots Ashkharh, Yerevan
26 Jun 07 p 3

Excerpt from Lilit Poghosyan’s report in Armenian newspaper Hayots
Ashkharh on 26 June headlined "This is deliberate misinformation;"

The president’s national security advisor, Garnik Isagulyan, has
just returned from Stepanakert. He presented his views on the current
stage of the election campaign [in Nagornyy Karabakh]

[Garnik Isagulyan] The election campaign is going in a very peaceful
and normal atmosphere. As you know, five candidates have been nominated
for president, and no obstacle has been created to any of them. It
is known that elections in the NKR [Nagornyy Karabakh republic] have
always been conducted in a very free and transparent environment. They
have been comprehensible to all. Even international observers have
been surprised that such elections could be held there. In this sense,
this election will be no different from the previous ones.

[Correspondent] Some commentators, however, say that the outcome
of the election is predetermined. In other words, they say that
"no election is going to be held in Karabakh".

[Isagulyan] Indeed, there have been some reports in the Armenian press.

There have also been some public speeches casting doubt on the NKR
presidential election. I simply consider this inappropriate. Everyone,
of course, is free to express his views and promote any
candidate. However, when people go further, personal create offence
and make allegations about the incumbent NKR president or the candidate
who has the biggest chances of winning, this is really unacceptable.

[Correspondent] What would you say about the candidates, their
platforms and positions?

[Isagulyan] I had the privilege of meeting Bako Sahakyan in person. I
can say that he is quite a flawless person. This is not only my
opinion.

Nagornyy Karabakh’s officials, political forces and ordinary people
also think so. I met many people in Karabakh and talked to them,
but none of them expressed a negative opinion about Sahakyan. Of
course, I am not talking about the people who have personal "enmity"
towards him or those who, because of various reasons, are trying to
cast doubt on the electoral process, the current authorities in the
NKR and the candidate who may come to power tomorrow.

Regardless of their background and their role in Armenia’s modern
history, these people should realize that by doing so they are helping
our enemies, and are damaging the images of Nagornyy Karabakh and
Armenia at a time when the international community is closely watching
the developments in Nagornyy Karabakh.

[Correspondent] Why did they decide to discredit [Nagornyy Karabakh
president] Arkadi Ghukasyan right before the presidential election,
particularly at a time when no-one in Karabakh or Armenia had voiced
any serious observations about him or his activities?

[Isagulyan] I don’t know why all this is done. I can’t
understand. Moreover, it surprising to me that a person with whom
I have worked together and have been on good terms for years is now
making such statements. I am talking about Igor Muradyan, who does not
know Bako Sahakyan, has not met him and does not know his positions
on various issues.

Why did he decide to link Sahakyan’s nomination to the future of
Arkadi Ghukasyan and put forward issues that have nothing to do with
the truth, or to find controversy between Armenia and Karabakh and
the positions of the NKR and Armenian presidents? It is unclear why
he says that Robert Kocharyan supports or indirectly does not support
Bako Sahakyan. It is also unclear why Masis Mayilyan, in whose favour
all this seems to be done, did not have courage to protest and say,
"Comrades, what you are saying is a lie."

I think this is a deliberate misinformation to foster a negative view
of a person who had the courage to establish a great environment
in Karabakh during his presidency, not only in terms of personal
relations but also in terms of relations between political forces, and
who did whatever he could to have the NKR constitution adopted. If you
remember, everybody was saying that the constitution had been drafted
to give Ghukasyan a chance to run for a third and a fourth term. And
many, including those who are now trying to discredit Ghukasyan,
joined me in trying to convince him [Ghukasyan] to run for a third
term. But Ghukasyan personally made a decision not to run. Now,
some people are trying to comment on this decision differently.

[Correspondent] They say that Bako Sahakyan’s only "value" is that
he is under total control of the current NKR authorities.

[Isagulyan] When it became clear that Ghukasyan will not run, many
would go and ask Bako Sahakyan to be nominated. Several candidates
could be seen in NKR but proposals by political forces and the reaction
of various groups in society resulted in the conclusion that Sahakyan
is the best and most acceptable candidate. He is a person, who unlike
other candidates, has participated in all the processes in Karabakh
and who is also widely respected by the liberation war veterans,
and he can settle the issues that Karabakh is now facing.

[Passage omitted: Isagulyan says Karabakh president Ghukasyan and
Armenian President Robert Kocharyan are very popular both in Karabakh
and Armenia and their opinions matter for public opinion.]