MANUK GASPARIAN IS READY TO SERVE OPPOSITION’S COMMON CANDIDATE LIKE A SOLDIER

Noyan Tapan
Sep 6, 2007

YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 6, NOYAN TAPAN. "If a common candidate is nominated
by the opposition for the 2008 presidential elections, I will serve
like a worker and soldier for that person to come to power and
the people to come out of this mire, this unfair situation." Manuk
Gasparian, the Chairman of the Democratic Way party, stated at the
September 6 press conference.

Unless the opposition politicians nominate a common candidate for the
elections, as M. Gasparian affirmed, 6 or 7 own candidates of those
forces will receive from 2 to 8 percent votes. "All this together
makes 20-23%. And Serge Sargsian has such percents only with his
administrative resources, with his myrmidons. If these 6 or 7 persons
nominate their candidatures, S. Sargsian will gain an absolute victory
in the first tour," M. Gasparian said.

Touching upon the probability of first RA President Levon
Ter-Petrosian’s running for the elections, M. Gasparian said that the
current authorities, instead of improving the situation in the country
"worsened the system formed under L. Ter-Petrosian." Therefore,
as M. Gasparian affirmed, nearly 10% of the people sympathizes the
first RA President. Meanwhile, it was mentioned that it is not known
whether these people will vote for L. Ter-Petrosian.

"If L. Ter-Petrosian comes with the same team I just propose him
giving up this idea just now," M. Gasparian said. However, if the
first President’s team "is able not to take a bribe, to contribute
to the progress of this country’s democracy, to form an economic
field, to fight bribery and corruption," then it is possible that
Gasparian will support L. Ter-Petrosian, but will not take part in
his electoral campaign.