ARMENIAN PRO-GOVERNMENT PARTY TO NOMINATE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE

Mediamax
Sept 19 2007
Armenia

Yerevan, 19 September: The Armenian Revolutionary
Federation-Dashnaktsutyun will run in the presidential election of
2008, Armen Rustamyan, a representative of the supreme body of the
Armenian Revolutionary Federation-Dashnaktsutyun, said in Yerevan
today.

The supreme council of the Armenian Revolutionary
Federation-Dashnaktsutyun recently made a decision that the
presidential candidate from the party will be either Rustamyan
himself or the deputy speaker of the Armenian National Assembly,
Vahan Hovhannisyan. The final choice between the two candidates will
be made in November 2007.

Rustamyan criticized the political forces that have predetermined the
results of the upcoming presidential election. "Such a position is a
threat to our country, since it might lead to stagnation in society
and in the state as a whole," Rustamyan noted.

He said that Dashnaktsutyun sees the threat in the concentration of
power in the hands of one party (the ruling Republic Party of Armenia –
RPA) and supports equality between branches of power.

"Serious discussions on issues of paramount importance must be
held during the presidential campaign, however, judging by recent
statements by RPA representatives, this party avoids participating
in such events", Rustamyan said.

He also said that he understands Armenian President Robert Kocharyan’s
support for Prime Minister Serzh Sargsyan’s candidacy, "but it would
be better if the president supported our candidate".