Hayots Ashkharh Daily, Armenia
Oct 27 2007

MEGHRI-KAPAN SECOND MOTORWAY OPENED

Yesterday President Kocharyan left for Meghri on a working visit
to mark the end of the construction of Meghri-Kapan motorway, the
most large-scale program implemented during the recent years under
the funding of the State Budget and to participate in the opening
ceremony.
As the President mentioned in his opening speech, this is the
second road extending from Kapan to Meghri, the most distant region
of Armenia which was in a forlorn situation even in the Soviet times.
And in the estimation of the specialists, it not only conforms to all
the international standards but also has a strategic importance for a
country like Armenia which has limited communication capacities.
This is first of all accounted for by the fact that it is a
reliable alternative to the road section extending from Kapan to
Meghri and hence – to the neighboring Iran; this road section mostly
passes through the forests of Mtnadzor, and often becomes impassable
in winter, with all the unpleasant consequences deriving thereof.

GETTING RID OF THE PSYCHOLOGY OF THE WEAK

After celebrating the opening of the road around festive tables,
congratulating the grateful people of Meghri and receiving
congratulations from them on the square situated nearby the custom’s
office of Meghri, the delegation led by President Kocharyan also
participated in the `harvest festival’ held nearby the `Old Bridge’.
Afterwards, answering the questions of the journalists, ROBERT
KOCHARYAN first remembered how `this decision was made’.
`For several years we were speaking about the construction of the
tunnel. But in that case, the highest point of the road turned out
much higher and it actually didn’t change the complexity of the road.
And I thought, `what if we build a new one’?
I sent the specialists, and they said that there was an
opportunity for doing that. As a result, we spent less than was
required for the construction of the tunnel, and now we have a road
which imparts a new spirit to the 6 villages situated on the way. The
highest point of the road was lowered by 30 meters. It could have
been lowered more, if it hadn’t been for the fuss around the
Shikahogh reserve. In that case the road would be much shorter and
the highest point – lower. But we listened to the environmentalists.
And now we have this second road which is much quieter and has bends
with longer radii.
And the most important thing is that the region is of strategic
importance for us, and it would have been wrong on our part to depend
on one road, considering the prospects of the large-scale joint
programs with Iran. During the meeting with the people I also said
that this program should have its continuation. We must also be able
to build a road extending from Kapan to Sisian; that road will pass
round Goris, but it will be safer, without the `serpentine roads’.
And in that case, the direction will in general have a rather serious
transit potential.’
`Does the republic have enough human, professional and technical
resources for the implementation of those programs?’
`Well, if we managed to implement the large-scale programs, it
means we have them.You have probably seen the process of building the
gas pipeline. It is a very extensive program, and we are now capable
of solving such programs. The construction of this road within a
period of 2.5 years seemed fantastic. No one believed two and a half
years ago that it would be possible to bring this job to an end in a
2.5 years’ time. Generally, I don’t think we should avoid brave,
large-scale programs and brave solutions; we must be able to estimate
our potentials in a more proper manner.
If it hadn’t been for this approach, we wouldn’t have the Selim
road; we wouldn’t certainly have Hyusisayin Avenue (do you remember
many people saying `no one even dared to shoulder such responsibility
even in the Soviet times’?), the disaster zone wouldn’t have been
reconstructed, Tasghkadzor wouldn’t look the way it looks today etc.
We must realize that we are more powerful and have greater
potentials, and we must get rid of the wretched psychology of a weak,
miserable person.’
`What will you say with regard to other Armenian-Iranian joint
railroad projects?’
`As regards the construction of the railroad, we haven’t yet made
any decision as to whether to extend it along this section or along
the gas pipeline, but I believe that the solution will become clearly
sketched. We are also discussing the issue of constructing the oil
refinery. These are very extensive programs whose solution demands
braveness. I think we will work in that direction.’

NEVER AVOIDING STRUGGLE

Although R. Kocharyan was not quite inclined to discuss
pre-electoral topics, he did, nonetheless, touch upon the internal
political developments in response to the questions of the
journalists. The President introduced his attitude towards the
ex-President’s livening and his pretensions to presidency.
`Of course the first president has the right to nominate himself;
we don’t see any problem here. After the first President and the
other candidates nominate themselves, we will think of our
pre-electoral tactics. You know that we have never avoided struggle
and we will not avoid it this time either. And of course, we will
struggle for a good result.
By the way, the first President will not be the main
pro-Opposition candidate, at least as far as the current studies are
concerned. It is obvious that there are a couple of pro-Opposition
activists with higher ratings. And this will determine the tactics to
be adopted by us during this electoral campaign. In any case, I don’t
think that the attention in the upcoming electoral processes will
chiefly be focused on a secondary candidate.’
`How do you estimate the chances of the Armenian pan-National
Movement? Why did the former authorities decide to return to active
politics at this particular moment?’
`After losing power, the Armenian pan-National Movement has
participated in all the parliamentary elections. Twice it ran for
election in the form of the Armenian pan-National Movement, and once
– in the form of `Impeachment’ bloc. But the party elite were
entirely involved in the pre-election process. I remember they
received 1 per cent of votes in 1991 and 0.6 per cent – in 2007.
These are the chances of the Armenian pan-National Movement; this is
their rating. I believe it would be naivety to think that the people
have forgotten the time period when the Armenian pan-National
Movement was in power. If someone has forgotten it, we’ll remind him,
but the fact is that the heritage they left behind is very bad. It is
obvious that the Armenian pan-National Movement bears responsibility
for the economic collapse. Now they see the economy recover and
probably think that there emerge new opportunities for plunder, and
in that respect, they have a good appetite. I believe the problem is
there. I see no other explanation. This is probably another reason
they involve the first President in this struggle, with an intention
to use this resource in some way.’
`What will you say about your future programs? Where and in what
status do you see yourselves after ending the President’s term of
office?’
`There is one thing I can say definitely. Both the experience and
the knowledge I have acquired will continue serving my mother-land.
As their form, schedule and variant, time will show it. I don’t think
it will be proper to wash one’s hands of everything and go aside. But
there are different forms of participation. It is not necessary to
stick to some `chair’ by all means. We’ll see which option will be
more effective and beneficial for the country and the people.
Generally, if we take a retrospective look upon the path we have
passed during the past 10 years, great work has really been done.
People get used to good things very easily; they adjust themselves to
any situation very quickly, and when the things changes for the
worse, they take it with difficulty. I have said on one occasion that
when people change the `Zhigouli’ with a `Mercedes’, two days later
it seems to thems as if you they been driving `Mercedes’ all your
life.
In real life too, everything is just like that. People adjust
themselves to the situations very easily and it seems to them that
the things have always been like that. This is certainly a
psychological factor, but I am sure that our people will not wish to
return to 1995-1996, with all the relevant consequences. I believe
those years have left very bad recollections on many people.

LILIT POGHOSYAN