Armenia president-elect welcomes rival candidate’s agreement to cooperate
Mediamax, Armenia
March 1 2008
Yerevan, 29 February: Armenia’s president-elect and the leader of
the Republican Party of Armenia, [Prime Minister] Serzh Sargsyan,
today welcomed the agreement of the leader of the Orinats Yerkir
[Law-Governed Country] party, Artur Baghdasaryan [who also ran in
the 19 February presidential election], to join a coalition government.
"I am glad that Artur Baghdasaryan has responded to our proposal to
run the country by our joint efforts, and I welcome the creation of a
coalition government by the Republican Party of Armenia, the Prosperous
Armenia party and Orinats Yerkir," Serzh Sargsyan said after signing
the corresponding agreement with Artur Baghdasaryan in Yerevan today.
"Artur Baghdasaryan has accepted my offer to appoint him secretary of
the National Security Council. This post will allow him to be involved
in running the country and to have access to full information about
all the processes, and thereby to take an active part in them,"
Serzh Sargsyan said.
"The agreement we have signed indicates the readiness of the Armenian
government to carry out positive reforms in the country," Artur
Baghdasaryan said. "We are with dignity taking the hand that has
been extended to us, and we are sure that we are starting an honest
process that will benefit the country."
Serzh Sargsyan voiced the hope that the [Armenian Revolutionary
Federation] Dashnaktsutyun will shortly agree to cooperate, which
will mean that there are four participants in the coalition.