ARMENIAN NATIONAL MOVEMENT TO NOMINATE CANDIDATURE OF LEVON TER-PETROSIAN IN 2008 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS

Noyan Tapan
Aug 17, 2007

YEREVAN, AUGUST 17, NOYAN TAPAN. The Armenian National Movement Party
will put forward the candidature of Levon Ter-Petrosian, the RA first
President, in the 2008 presidential elections. This statement was
made by Ararat Zurabian, the Chairman of the Administration of the
Armenian National Movement, at the press conference held on August
17. At the same time he mentioned that the authorities are trying to
make use of every posiible lever in order to hinder "the process of
unification that can be stimulated around Levon Ter-Petrosian."

According to Ararat Zurabian, the first RA President "is inclined to
take part in political processes," and the society, according to him,
will witness this fact "during the nomination, when the process of
filling in and handing corresponding documents will start." Under this
circumstance, in the opinion of the Chairman of the Armenian National
Movement, Serge Sargsian will not put forward his own candidature. "I
think that he will not dare to nominate himself, will not be able to
look into the eyes of Levon Ter-Petrosian and say anything," Ararat
Zurabian said.

In response to the question of whether there is a social demand for
the nomination of the candidature of Levon Ter-Petrosian, Ararat
Zurabian mentioned that "there is a social demand for changing these
authorities and handing the helm of the state to another political
figure," as, in his opinion, the society does not approve of the
current authorities and does not consider them to be "the team,
which should lead Armenia for another five or ten years."

In the conviction of Ararat Zurabian, neither opposition nor a common
candidate of authorities can exist in the forthcoming presidential
elections, since the number of those pretending on the post of the
President of Armenia is big. "The concept of a common candidate is
not very important.

It is more important that a centre of gravity is formed, which will be
an alternative for these authorities and will create an opportunity
of choice for our society," the Chairman of the Administration of
the Armenian National Movement party mentioned.