RAFFI HOVANNISIAN: NO ONE HAS GROUNDS TO MAKE STATEMENTS ON BEHALF OF ZHARANGUTIUN

Noyan Tapan
Feb 4, 2008

YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 4, NOYAN TAPAN. "I am very happy that everyone says
its word, makes its supposition, but I think no one has grounds to make
statements on behalf of the Zharangutiun party," Raffi Hovannisian,
the party Chairman, said in his February 4 interview to Noyan Tapan and
Radio Liberty, touching upon the statements of presidential candidates
Levon Ter-Petrosian and Artur Baghdasarian made lately. The latters,
in particular, had declared publicly that Zharangutiun will unite
with them.

R. Hovannisian said that several weeks ago Zharangutiun’s Board
applied to the main four opposition candidates, L. Ter-Petrosian,
Vazgen Manukian, Vahan Hovhannisian, and A. Baghdasarian expecting
radical reconsideration of their positions in the preelection period
concerning the issue that a large long-lasting unification and not
one more short unification is needed in Armenia. "We wish the main
opposition candidates to come out of the oratorical arena and to be
engaged in strict, cold, serious reasoning, which will be decisive
for Armenia’s future," R. Hovannisian said.

He said that the consultations with the candidates continue. According
to R. Hovannisian, proceeding from the "developments" of the current
week, perhaps at the end of the week the party will make a final
decision. He also mentioned that not he himself but the party Board
will make the decision.