TER-PETROSIAN PROPOSES PRESIDENT AND PRIME MINISTER TO GIVE UP POWER
WITH DIGNITY
YEREVAN, FEBRUARY 16, NOYAN TAPAN. Calls like "We will win", "President
Levon", "Armenians, Unite" were made at the February 16 rally organized
by the opposition and during a mass procession that followed tha rally.
The presidential candidate Levon Ter-Petrosian delivered a summary
speech at the rally. Addressing those present, he said that he is
speaking with the people that has already won. He urged everybody to be
consistent in the national struggle and to go to vote without fail. He
warned that indifference and pessimism of some people may ruin the
national struggle.
Levon Ter-Petrosian said that his election campaign can already be
summarized. According to him, the campaign has reached its goal, and,
in particular, during numerous meetings in remote marzes it has become
possible to "break" the atmosphere of fear which formed there in the
past ten years. Such an atmosphere, according to L. Ter-Petrosian, does
not exist in Yerevan and four nearby marzes adjacent to it: Ararat,
Armavir, Kotayk and Aragatsotn which are the most active and
well-informed marzes. He announced that he calls a rally on February 20
at 3 p.m. to celebrate the victory in the elections.
A procession was organized following the rally. The procession led by
Levon Ter-Petrosian and representatives of the political forces
endorsing him made its way along Mashtots, Grigor Lusavorich, Italy and
Nalbandian Streets and back to Freedom Square. During a short rally
after the procession, the first Armenian president proposed that Serge
Sargsian withdraw his candidacy, while Robert Kocharian should "give up
power with dignity and without any shocks", thus proving that they are
statesmen.
L. Ter-Petrosian declared that he is convinced that he will win at the
very first round of elections. In his words, if the authorities try "to
draw some figures in favor of Sargsian", then the February 20 rally
will be the beginning of the struggle (with the use of all legal means)
for defending the opposition’s victory.