"I AM SURPRISED THAT ISSUE OF COMMON CANDIDATE IS PAID SO MUCH ATTENTION TO," RA PRESIDENT SAYS

Noyan Tapan
Nov 14, 2007

YEREVAN, NOVEMBER 14, NOYAN TAPAN. "I am a little surprised that the
issue of the common candidate is paid so much attention to by both
politicians and especially by people considering themselves political
scientists. I do not understand what the common candidate means," RA
President Robert Kocharian said this on November 14 in response to the
journalists’ question about opposition’s common candidate. According
to him, for him, it is unintelligible on what basis that union should
be, whether it will be an end in itself or there are ideological
communities and unity of programs.

"We had such a sad example with the Ardarutiun (Justice) bloc, when
people having absolutely different approaches united with each other
for a single purpose, in order to have a seat in the parliament. And
the final fate of that bloc is well known to all of you," R. Kocharian
said. He added that President’s post is not divided and "one person
will receive the prize in these elections." According to R. Kocharian,
by the new Constitution, the President even will have no possibility
to give out portfolios to "political forces and figures" under his
subordination, as the executive power is formed by the parliament,
and the distribution of forces in the parliament is already clear.

According to R. Kocharian, a question also emerges, whether people
considering that Armenia should join NATO and people supporting
deepening relations with Russia can work with each other. "I was
surprised, but some political forces proved to be in Armenia, who
consider that our main partner should be Turkey and Azerbaijan. I
did not expect such pro-Turkish policy even from ANM and did not
think that Armenia can appear in Turkey’s lap in the future. If there
are people, who share those approaches, or there are such political
parties, let them unite, but state what future they see for Armenia,"
R. Kocharian said.