TER-PETROSIAN SILENT ON SURPRISE MOSCOW TRIP
By Aza Babayan in Moscow and Emil Danielyan
Radio Liberty, Czech Republic
Feb 12 2008
Former President Levon Ter-Petrosian and his entourage on Tuesday
declined to divulge any details of his surprise Monday visit to
Moscow during which he reportedly met Russian President Vladimir
Putin’s likely successor.
The one-day trip came just over one week before Armenia’s presidential
election, raising questions about the Kremlin’s continued support
for the current authorities in Yerevan.
The Russian newspaper "Argumenty i Fakty" reported that Ter-Petrosian
had a brief conversation with Dmitry Medvedev, Russia’s first deputy
prime ministry widely expected to succeed Putin in an election
scheduled for next month. The paper said Ter-Petrosian "explained
his position on key issues" during these and other "political
consultations" in the Russian capital.
It quoted a Ter-Petrosian spokesman in Moscow, Smbat Karakhanian,
as saying that the Armenian presidential candidate’s talks were
"very productive and important." No further details were reported.
Contacted by RFE/RL, an aide to Medvedev, Vladimir Andrianov, refused
to refute or confirm the "Argumenty i Fakty" report. Ter-Petrosian
aides in Yerevan also declined a comment.
RFE/RL learned that while in Moscow Ter-Petrosian was interviewed by
Russian state television. A prominent Russian TV commentator who spoke
to the ex-president could not say when the interview will be aired.
Both outgoing President Robert Kocharian and Prime Minister Serzh
Sarkisian have strengthened Armenia’s ties with Russia and enjoyed
Moscow’s backing throughout their decade-long rule. As recently as
last week, Russian Prime Minister Viktor Zubkov paid a high-profile
visit to Yerevan which was widely construed as an expression of Russian
support for Sarkisian’s presidential bid. Still, Zubkov stopped short
of publicly urging Armenians to vote for Sarkisian.
"The authorities are alarmed by street protests staged by the
[Armenian] opposition every day," the Russian daily "Moskovsky
Komsomolets" quoted an unnamed Armenian government official as saying
during Zubkov’s trip. "They are attended by more and more people. The
visit by your prime minister will demonstrate to the electorate on
whose side Russia is."