ARMENIAN PRESIDENT STATED THAT LEVON TER-PETROSIAN REPEATEDLY TURNED DOWN THE PROPOSALS OF AUTHORITIES FOR A DIALOGUE
Mediamax
March 5, 2008
Yerevan /Mediamax/. Armenian President Robert Kocharian stated in
Yerevan today that Levon Ter-Petrosian repeatedly turned down the
proposals of the authorities for a dialogue.
Mediamax reports that, speaking at a news conference in Yerevan
today, the President stressed that after the unrest, organized by the
supporters of Ter-Petrosian on March 1, "the process passed from the
political framework to the legal one".
Robert Kocharian reminded that at his rallies Ter-Petrosian rejected
any possibility of a dialogue with the authorities. The President
reminded that right after the elections, the newly-elected President
Serzh Sarkisian stated his readiness to cooperate with all the
political forces, "and everybody responded to the given proposal,
except for Ter-Petrosian".
The Armenian President described as "not corresponding to reality"
the statement of Levon Ter-Petrosian, according to which in the
evening of March 1 he held talks with the authorities, who refused
to fulfill his demands.
"Through the Head of State Protection Service Grigori Sarkisian Levon
Ter-Petrosian stated that he agreed to go and calm his supporters down,
who had gathered at the square in front of the City Administration,
if we fulfilled his conditions. The conditions were: he takes his
supporters through the center of the city to the Opera Square,
continues there the rally and gains guarantees of unhindered
realization of the rally for 15 days. That is to say, it was an
ultimatum", Robert Kocharian stated.
The President noted that by the time, when Ter-Petrosian voiced his
conditions, the crowd of his supporters already had burnt a few dozens
of cars and attacked policemen.
"Imagine what would happen, if we allowed that crowd to move to the
Opera Square through the center of the city", Robert Kocharian stated.
At that, the President noted that Ter-Petrosian was notified that
he was free to join his supporters without any limitations. "His
guards are officers of the State Protection Service, who could not
participate in an illegal event", Robert Kocharian stated.
Answering the question of Mediamax, Armenian President reminded that
Levon Ter-Petrosian did not let Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin
II into his house late March 1.
"The Catholicos called me and, stating his deep concern, stated that
he intends to pay a visit to Ter-Petrosian. I said that I could only
welcome such initiative. However, as you know, Ter-Petrosian did
not let him in. To tell the truth, I can hardly imagine a situation,
when an Armenian, wherever he is, would be able to not let into his
house the Head of the Armenian Church", Robert Kocharian stated.