Vano Siradeghyan: Levon Ter-Petrosyan Exhausted Himself As Far Back

VANO SIRADEGHYAN: LEVON TER-PETROSYAN EXHAUSTED THEMSELVES AS FAR BACK AS IN 1996
R. Sargsyan

Hayots Ashkharh
Dec 14 2007
Armenia

The only peculiarity of the last demonstration organized in the
Theatrical Square was the placards with the inscription "LEVON
VII: KING OF ARMENIANS". And it should be noted that Ter-Petrosyan
was pleased to hear the exclamation of the 21st century idolaters
proclaiming him a king.

And the things would not have been so ridiculous if, falling to
the bosom of history, LTP hadn’t quit the arena with the diagnosis
of a "tired and exhausted" person, as his one-time ally would
characterize. Standing on the demonstration platforms, LTP now
addresses his "bravos" to Vano Siradeghyan who, as far back as in 1998,
made the following statement while estimating the 1996 presidential
elections on National Television, during TV broadcast "The Man’s Time",
"A few months before the ill-fated elections of 1996 it became clear
that there was a failure in store. Some people were even under the
impression that such an awkward electoral campaign was possible only
in one case, i.e. if the president didn’t want to be elected…

Nevertheless, I attribute the whole nuisance of 1996 to
Mr. Ter-Petrosyan’s being tired. He had already exhausted
himself. After those events the President was suffering from depression
for 3 months. He also wanted me, as well as V. Sargsyan to resign
from our posts. In short, he didn’t seem to wish anything at all.

The whole state system was in a state of despair; it was
demolished. For three month it was impossible to form a government.

The government hadn’t actually worked since January 1996, because
the President had then told Mr. Bagratyan that he would discharge
the latter from post. Who would work under such circumstances? Thus,
we lost one year. And we lost another year in 1997 when there was
dual power in the country. But then, it became evident that 1997 was
preparing a breeding ground for Mr. Ter-Petrosyan’s resignation."

Let’s emphasize that the author is not a person caught by chance.

Vano Siradeghyan was perfectly aware of the paralytic state in which
the President and the Government were in 1996-1998.

A question arises: if, after becoming 50, LTP had completely exhausted
himself, how come that the "tired" and "exhausted" person gained
momentum now that he is over 60. Perhaps, he has confused politics
with Arts, to which these years add experience, and it is possible
to say something new.

In any case, if we theoretically admit that at the age of 60 a
scientist is in his prime time, the same does not apply to either
politics or the state, as they both cannot have any expectation of
someone who was tired and exhausted when quitting the arena.

Many people still remember another noteworthy assessment Vano
Siradegyan addressed to LTP. On November, 1998 Vano Siradegyan gave
a shocking answer to the following question of the journalists,
"was the merging of the Ministries of Interior and National Security
arranged with the purpose of removing V. Siradeghyan from force
levers?" The answer Mr. Siradeghyan gave must give some orientation
to those who, standing by LTP at present, are, nonetheless, a little
bit concerned about the state and the statehood. It must be a lesson
for the misguided people suffering from amnesia.

Here it is: "The issue of my resignation was an autonomous issue,
and I am sure that it happened because L. Ter-Petrosyan didn’t know
what the National Security Service was going to do in this country.

He had no nnational ssecurity cconcept. He had no idea as to whether
to eliminate the existing system and form a new one, to make reforms
or act otherwise. He joined the Ministries, thinking that he would
have some ideas in the course of time."

Was it possible for Levon Effendi to have a national security concept,
considering that he thought national ideology to be a myth and served
as an example of classical cosmopolitanism?

Today, he wants to turn back those pages of history: to come to
power without precise ideas as to what is necessary to do. As to
the ideology "I will think of something in the course of time", we
have seen its results many a time. Whereas LTP has not made a step
forward; he has remained just the same way as his friend and ally
once characterized him.