PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE CALLS ON RIVALS TO RESPECT RULES OF GAME
ARMENPRESS
Dec 11, 2007
YEREVAN, DECEMBER 11, ARMENPRESS: A university professor of
mathematics, who has joined the presidential race, accused today some
of presidential contenders of ignoring ‘the rules of the game.
Aram Harutunian, chairman of a minor National Accord party, convened
today a news conference to say that the election struggle should be
ideology-based, that it should be a competition of platforms through
political debates and not a reciprocal smearing.
Aram Harutunian had contested the previous presidential election in
2003 but failed to receive any meaningful amount of votes. Asked today
to explain why he wanted to contest the February 19 ballot as well,
he said his ultimate goal is to mitigate the confrontation between
major contenders.
"My desire is that Armenia comes out of the election by showing the
world that it is a civilized nation,’ he said.
Aram Harutunian slammed some opposition leaders who branded Vazgen
Manukian, another presidential candidate, as a ‘traitor’ after he
refused to endorse ex-presidnet Levon Ter-Petrosian.
"We, politicians, should have courage to first of all admit our own
mistakes,’ he said.
Aram Harutunian spoke then against attempts to capitalize on the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict saying the issue must not be exploited by
the candidates.
Meantime, an outspoken leader of the Marxist party, David Hakobian,
said he will stand by Levon Ter-Petrosian’s side to help him win
the election.
He urged all ‘true’ opposition groups to consolidate around Armenia’s
former president ‘to help him form a new state machinery, a new
economic policy and a new national concept."
Asked why he did not run for presidency he said he had ideas while
Ter-Petrosian an army of supporters