ANM WANTS ‘TO PURGE AND WHITEWASH ITSELF’ SADOYAN SAYS

ARMENPRESS
Jan 16 2007

YEREVAN, JANUARY 16, ARMENPRESS: A former parliament member Arshak
Sadoyan claimed today that small political groups and sympathizers
supporting former president Levon Ter-Petrosian’s presidential bid
have failed to understand that the former president and his close
allies have joined the presidential race ‘to purge and whitewash
themselves of their past sins."

Arshak Sadoyan, who supports another presidential candidate, Vazgen
Manukian, continued that the ultimate goal of the former ruling
Armenian National Movement of Ter-Petrosian is to rehabilitate itself
by ‘throwing dirt’ at other opposition groups and portray itself as
the leading opposition party.

"All political leaders who have rallied around Ter-Petrosian do not
realize that they will be used and thrown away after the election,"
Sadoyan claimed.

Arshak Sadoyan, who is chairman of a minor National Democratic Alliance
party, alleged further that the ANM has never proved its commitment
to questions of all-national significance.

According to Sadoyan, Vazgen Manukian is one of few Armenian
politicians with a clean record, a man that has never been marred by a
scandal and whose election program would guarantee continued progress.

Aram Manukian a senior member of the Armenian National Movement,
said if Vazgen Manukian succeeds in wining a run-off his party will
support him in the second round.

He said all political groups which have rallied around the former
president, trust him looking at him as a leader who would take Armenia
towards the road of close European integration.

"Vazgen Manukian is well aware that he stands actually no chances of
winning the election.

Therefore, it would be more reasonable for his supporters join us,
especially that the platforms of Ter-Petrosian and Vazgen Manukian
do not differ much,’ Aram Manukian said.