POLL PLACES SERZH SARKISIAN AHEAD OF ALL PRESIDENTIAL CONTENDERS

ARMENPRESS
Nov 8, 2007

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 8, ARMENPRESS: A public opinion survey conducted
in Armenia between October 25-31 has found that 67 percent of 2000
respondents believe that prime minister Serzh Sarkisian will win the
2008 presidential election.

The findings of the survey conducted by ComRes, one of the leading
polling and research consultancies in Great Britain, were unveiled
yesterday by Andrew Hawkins, its chief executive.

According to the poll, only 4 percent believe that ex-president Levon
Ter-Petrosian is able to win the election. He was followed by a former
parliament chairman Arthur Baghdasarian, head of the Orinats Yerkir
(Country of Law) party with 3 percent of popular support.

Two percent said they think that Raffi Hovhanesian, a former foreign
minister and now head of the opposition Zharangutyun (Heritage) party
would become next presidnet. Artashes Geghamian, Tigran Karapetian,
Vazgen Manukian, deputy parliament speaker Vahan Hovhanesian of the
Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF), Armen Rustamian and Aram
Karapetian enjoy each one percent of voter support.

Some 56 percent said they would go to the polls next February to
elect a president. If the election were held this week, 55 percent
would participate in it.

According to the survey, 45 percent of the respondents regard Serzh
Sarkisian as an able politician to deal with Armenia’s external policy
challenges and press for a favorable resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict. Only 3 percent believe that Levon Ter-Petrosian can cope
with these problems effectively.

Twenty percent of respondents think that Serzh Sarkisian and Arthur
Baghdasarian are capable of launching an effective crackdown on
rampant corruption. Raffi Hovhanesian is third in this respect.

Thirty-three percent believe that Serzh Sarkisian is the best candidate
to deal with economic problems.

Thirty-one percent also believe that the prime minister is the man
who can solve effectively all social problems.

Thirty-six percent think Armenia’s future lie with all international
organizations, 29 percent with EU, 24 with CIS, 4 percent with NATO.