FIRST ARMENIAN PRESIDENT COMPARES STRUGGLE AGAINST ARMENIAN
AUTHORITIES TO NATIONAL LIBERATION STRUGGLE

YEREVAN, DECEMBER 22, NOYAN TAPAN. "The authorities will do everything
by means of a propaganda blockade, intimidations, economic pressure and
finally large-scale election rigging in order to retain their
robber-state system. The continuation of this situation means another
ten years of slavery, misery and national humiliation," the first
Armenian president Levon Ter-Petrosian stated at the December 22
republican congress of forces supporting him.

He compared the popular movement which has formed in the country to the
national liberation struggle in 1988-1991: "The current Armenian
authorities are no more insurmountable than the authorities of the
Soviet Union. Taking into account the reality that the current Armenian
authorities treat their own people as strangers, violating all their
rights and dignity, the struggle against such authorities will also be
a national liberation struggle," he said. He assured those present that
the consolidation of the majority of democratic forces is "one of the
most important guarantees of getting rid of this regime".

Appreciating the contribution of all political and social forces
supporting him in the first stage of the pre-election struggle, L.
Ter-Petrosian underlined the necessity of mobilizing voters for the
further stages. Among the most crucial steps to be taken are, according
to him, the creation of his pre-election headquarters and a political
council to be composed of the leaders of the political parties
supporting him, and the creation of territorial pre-election
headquarters. L. Ter-Petrosian said that headquarters must be set up in
all communities of Yerevan, as well as in Gyumri, Vanadzor and other
Armenian cities. In his words, meetings in all marzes and all Yerevan
communities will be of great importance.