"ARMENIAN NATIONAL MOVEMENT HAS CHOSEN ROAD OF BLACKMAIL AND LIE," CHAIRMAN OF NATIONAL UNITY SAYS

Noyan Tapan
Dec 14, 2007

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 14, NOYAN TAPAN. Levon Ter-Petrosian, the former
President of Armenia "is conducting a campaign in the direction of
intentionally discrediting all the skilful and experienced political
figures of the republic" with the assistance of the media serving to
the Armenian National Movement. This statement was made by Artashes
Geghamian, the Chairman of the National Unity party at the press
conference held on December 13. In his words, the Armenian National
Movement "has chosen the road of blackmail and lie," the main target
of which has become the National Unity.

According to Artashes Geghamian, an agreement was reached during the
meeting between Levon Ter-Petrosian and him on being correct, however,
the pro-Armenian National Movement press broke the arrangement. In
response to the statements discrediting him, Artashes Geghamian
promised to make public such facts, "which will not do credit to the
country and will definitely remove both Levon Ter-Petrosian and his
supporters from the political arena."

According to the Chairman of the National Unity, having a 4-5% rating
the Armenian National Movement sets its hopes on instigations, at the
organization of which it is very skilful. In the words of Artashes
Geghamian, the representatives of that political force brought forth
an incitement in the railway station of Yerevan on May 27, 1994,
as a result of which 16 people died. He stated that he is ready to
give the video clip proving what he said for a TV broadcast. Artashes
Geghamian declared that at present as well they would make attempts
"to organize instigations and deprive people of their lives." However,
the National Unity party will try to keep people away from taking
part in mass events.

Touching upon a number of sensational murders committed under the
former authorities, Artashes Geghamian introduced his hypotheses of
their motives.

According to Artashes Geghamian, Marius Yuzbashian, the former
Armenian KGB Chairman, was killed as he knew that only "invoices
were going and coming" and the product was not entering Armenia,
it was being sold in Russia.

Railway troops General Isahakian, according to Geghamian, was shot
as he had refused to accompany vacant goods wagons and Hambardzum
Galstian was shot as he knew under whose patronage the machine-tools
of the Armenian factories were being exported to Iran and sold there
as scrap metal.