ORINATS YERKIR PARTICIPATES IN CONSULTATIONS OVER SINGLE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE
ARMENPRESS
Aug 29 2007
YEREVAN, AUGUST 29, ARMENPRESS: Mher Shahgeldian, a senior member of
the opposition Orinats Yerkir party of ex parliament chairman Arthur
Baghdasarian, said today leaders of the country’s major opposition
parties continue their talks on the possibility of fielding a single
candidate in next year’s presidential election.
He added that political developments are expected to step up in mid-
September when the new parliament is back from summer recess.
Shahgeldian predicted that the pro-government and opposition parties
will have two major contenders for the presidential post each. He
said there may be a run-off in next year’s presidential ballot and
if this happens opposition groups are very likely to rally around a
single candidate.
He lauded Orinats Yerkir chairman, Arthur Baghdasarian, saying he
has all merits to become the opposition’s single candidate.
Shahgeldian also said his party does not endorse a bill introduced
in the Armenian parliament by Raffi Hovhanesian, head of another
opposition Heritage party, demanding that Armenia change a
long-standing policy and formally recognize Nagorno-Karabakh as an
independent state.
Shahgeldian said the solution to this long-running dispute should be
found within the frameworks of the OSCE Minsk Group.
"If this sort of questions could be solved that easy, it would have
been used by many countries,’ he said, adding that the Orinats Yerkir
is for a solution that will certainly favor the Armenian side, but
the dispute must be settled within the frameworks of international
organizations that would suit Armenia’s interest best.
The bill was already disapproved by all major Armenian parties.