SARKISIAN FORMALLY ENDORSED BY COALITION PARTNER
By Ruzanna Stepanian

Radio Liberty, Czech Republic
Dec 20 2007

The Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK), a junior partner in the governing
coalition, on Thursday officially endorsed Prime Minister Serzh
Sarkisian’s bid to become Armenia’s next president.

The decision was announced at a special meeting of the BHK’s governing
board chaired by the party leader, businessman Gagik Tsarukian, and
attended by Sarkisian. With the BHK widely seen as President Robert
Kocharian’s power base, it came as a further indication that the
outgoing head of state approves of Sarkisian’s presidential ambitions.

Tsarukian already indicated earlier this year that his party, which
has the second largest faction in parliament, will endorse Sarkisian
in accordance with a power-sharing agreement signed with the latter’s
Republican Party (HHK) following the May parliamentary elections. One
of the influential tycoon’s close associates, Minister for Urban
Development Vartan Vartanian, was designated as Sarkisian’s deputy
campaign manager last month.

Unlike the BHK, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun),
the other pro-Kocharian party represented in the government, has
declined to throw its weight behind the prime minister and nominated
its own presidential candidate instead.

"The Prosperous Armenia Party will support Serzh Sarkisian’s
candidature and entirely work for his victory," Tsarukian declared
on Thursday. "Not only because we signed the [power-sharing] document
but because recent political analyses and the spirit of our political
cooperation allow us to say that out joint candidate can solve all
problems facing Armenia."

"We must jointly strive for [Sarkisian’s] victory," he told loyalists.

Other BHK figures also heaped praise on Sarkisian in their speeches
at the gathering. "He is the most experienced and worthy of the
candidates who also enjoys broad international recognition," one of
them, Artsrun Grigorian, said.

"Obtaining the backing of such a force in the presidential elections
is an honor for any politician," Sarkisian said in his acceptance
speech. He referred to himself as the most popular of the presidential
candidates and said the Armenian authorities will ensure that the
February 19 meets democratic standards.

Speaking to journalists afterwards, Sarkisian denied opposition
allegations that he fears being rejected by voters. "Neither the
authorities nor myself are afraid of the people," he said. "If I was
afraid, I would not meet the people every Saturday and Sunday."

"What I am afraid of is that I might not live up to the people’s
trust. Others are not afraid of that because the people do not trust
them," he added.