KOCHARYAN WILL NEED TO BECOME TOO "BLACK" TO "WHITEN" SERGE SARGSYAN
James Hakobyan

Lragir.am
07-11-2007 12:17:42

In view of the behavior of Robert Kocharyan and Serge Sargsyan in
this pre-election period it is difficult to tell that they act on
mutual agreement. Leaving Kocharyan and upcoming Serge Sargsyan are
too different.

One has become rather aggressive, and has launched a heated debate,
more exactly an indirect argument with Levon Ter-Petrosyan, the other
is trying to become the symbol of tolerance in Armenia. Moreover,
Serge Sargsyan is even trying obviously to separate from Robert
Kocharyan. In particular, when the prime minister was placing the
first symbolic tube in Teghut, which in fact will not explode but
will destroy tens of thousands of trees and rivers, he said even if
he responded to Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s criticism, he would not tell
anything to his relatives and friends.

The hint was clear. The point is that during the rally on October 26
Ter-Petrosyan mentioned a driver of a PAZ truck who has become one of
the richest people in Armenia within a few years. Although the name was
not mentioned, few PAZ drivers in Armenia have become rich. Generally,
there are few drivers in Armenia who have become rich, and two are
especially well known to the society: General Manvel Grigoryan and
Member of Parliament Alexander Sargsyan, Serge Sargsyan’s brother. Of
these two only Sashik Sargsyan has driven a PAZ, General Grigoryan
used to drive a KRAZ truck.

Hence, it is clear that Levon Ter-Petrosyan had meant Sashik
Sargsyan. At least, Serge Sargsyan had understood that way, therefore
he said he would respond to Ter-Petrosyan when it is time, but he
will not tell anything about his friends and relatives.

However, there is a nuance besides Serge Sargsyan’s effort to show
that he is for a more fair fight than the first president. The
point is that the Public Television has already responded to Levon
Ter-Petrosyan and mentioned his relatives and friends, in particular
his deceased brother Telman Ter-Petrosyan, referring to him as the
first oligarch. When Serge Sargsyan says he will not touch upon the
relatives and friends of the first president, it means he thinks he
has nothing in common with the anti-ter-petrosyan propaganda on the
Public Television. In other words, Serge Sargsyan is trying to show
to the society that he has nothing to do with the black mass that is
poured onto Levon Ter-Petrosyan from the blue screen of the Public
Television, as well as other responsible blue screens.

It is difficult to tell whether the society which can see that Serge
Sargsyan occupies the bulk of news programs on those TV channels will
believe this. This is not the problem, however. The problem is why
Serge Sargsyan is trying to make Robert Kocharyan responsible for this
anti-propaganda, and whether he did it voluntarily, on agreement with
him, or was unable to prevent Robert Kocharyan, and now he has washed
his hands and gone to Teghut. In the pre-election logic, the chosen
tactics is the best for the government. Robert Kocharyan is leaving
office soon, and it does not matter what the society thinks about
him. For him, it is important what Serge Sargsyan will be thinking
about him. Therefore, all Robert Kocharyan can do is to work hard for
Serge Sargsyan in the time left, try his best to boost his rating. The
only option is the mechanical one because Serge Sargsyan has not
made any move which would raise his rating in reality. Therefore,
a simple action is taking place: the leaving president is trying to
appear to the society as intolerant, hard and vengeful as he can be,
and Serge Sargsyan’s humane and kind image is outlining against his
background. This is the simple combination that Robert Kocharyan and
Serge Sargsyan can work out, trying at the same time to blacken Levon
Ter-Petrosyan and to create a background against which Serge Sargsyan
may acquire positive shades.

However, this tactics may hardly prove effective enough since Robert
Kocharyan stated to support Serge Sargsyan, as well as stated that
they will work out their tactics together when the nominations are
made. In other words, the president has already revealed that he
and Serge Sargsyan are playing the same game. Therefore, hard though
Sargsyan may try to separate, he is bound to Kocharyan anyway. The
point is that Robert Kocharyan will need to become too "black" to
"whiten" Serge Sargsyan, meanwhile it should not be ruled out that
after working out the presidential election Serge Sargsyan may display
"racist" approaches and form a "white" government.