ACCORDING TO GALUST SAHAKIAN, SERGE SARGSIAN HAS POSSIBILITY TO RECEIVE
65-68% VOTES

YEREVAN, JANUARY 14, NOYAN TAPAN. "Today the Republican Party of
Armenia attaches a very great importance to holding of good elections
on February 19," Galust Sahakian, the RPA Vice-Chairman, stated at the
January 11 press conference. In his words, unless the elections "are
good, the winning candidate and his team will suffer." According to
him, though today it is not so important how many tours the elections
will have, nevertheless, RPA will try to achieve ending of the
electoral process on February 19 and will use its "whole political
capital for that purpose."

RPA candidate, Prime Minister Serge Sargsian, as G. Sahakian predicted,
will receive 65-68% votes if he carries out active and favorable
preelection activity. According to the RPA Vice-Chairman, RPA members
are convinced that their candidate will win, as S. Sargsian has been on
the political arena for already 20 years "and his characteristic is
known to the people." And the preelection work, as G. Sahakian assured,
has been already launched actively. From 1200 to 1500 preelection
headquarters of S. Sargsian will be opened throughout the whole country
by late January.

Touching upon the preelection program of first President Levon
Ter-Petrosian published lately, S. Sahakian classed it as a "component
of a rally speech." He added that if possible, S. Sargsian would refuse
to dispute with L. Ter-Petrosian, as the first President has adopted "a
strategy of bad language."