Lragir, Armenia
Oct 12 2007

ANDRANIK MIHRANYAN: NOBODY KNOWS ROBERT KOCHARYAN’S SOUL DEEPLY

The Moscow-based political scientist Andranik Mihranyan is again in
Armenia and was hosted at the National Press Club on October 12. The
reporters used the opportunity to ask him questions on the recent
political developments in Russia and their possible recurrence in
Armenia in this context. Andranik Mihranyan said he had published an
article last year in which he outlined the scheme how Vladimir Putin
can stay at power. According to Mihranyan, Putin has a popular rating
of 70 to 80 percent, he leads the ticket of the Yedinaya Rossia
Party, becomes prime minister, and in 2012 he is again eligible for
the presidential election.

Mihranyan says Putin is given a high rating, is perceived as the
`father of people’ and it would be wrong to leave. At the same time,
Andranik Mihranyan says 40 percent of voters in Russia will vote for
the candidate whom Putin will point to. `This is a crucial move on
Russia’s behalf in the present reality,’ Andranik Mihranyan says, who
disagrees that whatever is underway in Russia is an expression of
authoritarianism. According to him, if a president with a 70-80
percent of rating wants to stay, it is democracy. `If democracy has
any meaning at all, it means a government which is in people’s
interests and wishes, and this is what the results of public polls
suggest, and the elections will reveal,’ Mihranyan says. Mihranyan
rules out reelection saying that Putin would thereby resemble
Turkmenbashi or Lukashenko, which a G8 country cannot do because this
status obliges to observe certain rules.

Another rule is that the developments in Russia almost precisely
repeat in Armenia. The reporters asked Mihranyan whether Robert
Kocharyan would similarly like to stay by becoming prime minister.
Andranik Mihranyan ruled out this option and explained why. `The
situation in Armenia is different. In Russia, as I said, no
politician has his own political basis except Putin. In Armenia there
were people a year ago and there are people now who have their
electorate, resources, organizations, independent from the president.
In fact, the participation of the president, his backing is highly
important but not deciding. Second, a year ago this option had a
different meaning. But this option was made moot by your
parliamentary election. In fact, if the Republicans had not got that
many votes or Dashnaks had been elected instead, all kinds of
combinations would be possible. But after the election a political
sphere seems to have emerged that the government party has no other
way but to put up one candidate, and everyone knows the name of this
candidate, even we in Moscow are aware of it,’ Andranik Mihranyan
says.

Does Andranik Mihranyan nevertheless find any other option for Robert
Kocharyan to solve the problem of dominance in government except for
the post of prime minister? Andranik Mihranyan says he finds it
difficult to tell in what capacity Robert Kocharyan will appear. `Our
meetings in the past few years were not interpersonal but group
meetings, and I had no opportunity to study his soul deeply. I doubt
that anyone has studied him because he is an introvert, and I very
much doubt that he shares his mysterious thoughts with at least two
people. Besides, as far as I know him, he is rather stiff,
non-flexible in the sense that he is self-sufficient to assume other
roles. Because you know for the repetition of the events of Russia in
Armenia he should have earned the image of `people’s father’ like
Putin who states likelihood to be prime minister but not as a prime
minister but as someone who is loved by people, who has 70-80 percent
of confidence,’ Andranik Mihranyan says.

Andranik Mihranyan concludes his speech on Robert Kocharyan’s
political future with an American political saying that there are
great presidents and there are great ex-presidents. Andranik
Mihranyan refers to Jimmy Carter, one of the weak U.S. presidents but
also one of the best ex-presidents because after leaving office he
was welcomed and recognized by the international community assuming a
rather important role regarding different issues. `I think so should
be the Armenian reality, no matter what kind of a president the
president was, I think if there is energy and opportunity, he should
not leave the political reality and arena because even an
ex-president has opportunities, connections, experience to be an
active factor in discussing and solving vital issues of his nation,’
Andranik Mihranyan says, pointing to Robert Kocharyan’s young age,
and concluding that it is possible that a foundation will be created
led by Robert Kocharyan.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress