"CONTINUED PROGRESS IS POSSIBLE ONLY THROUGH DIALOGUE AND REFORM", SERZH SARKISIAN AND ARTUR BAGHDASARIAN STATED

Mediamax
March 17, 2008

Yerevan /Mediamax/. President-Elect of Armenia Serzh Sarkisian and the
Leader of "Orinats Yerkir" Party Artur Baghdasarian published today
a joint article "Moving Forward in Armenia" in The Washington Post.

Mediamax reports that Serzh Sarkisian and Artur Baghdasarian noted
in the article: "The two of us were competitors in the presidential
election.

But we are united in our desire to end the current crisis and put
Armenia back on track".

Mediamax recalls that in accordance with the agreement on political
cooperation, signed after the presidential elections of February 19,
Artur Baghdasarian, who placed third during the elections, will occupy
the position of the Secretary of National Security under the Armenian
President, and his "Orinats Yerkir" party will enter the composition
of the ruling coalition.

"Between us, we represent 70 percent of the votes of the Armenian
people. This is a serious and solid mandate. On this basis, we will
pursue ambitious but realistic reforms that will strengthen our
democracy and our nation’s socioeconomic progress", Serzh Sarkisian
and Artur Baghdasarian write.

"We insist, however, that continued progress is possible only through
dialogue and reform. Violence has no place in democracy. Therefore,
we ask those who are still promoting instability on the streets to
join us in political dialogue and to help us guide our country toward
prosperity", the article reads.

"Our priority is to run a transparent government and have a clear
agenda, which we will announce. We will fight corruption head-on. We
are confident that with the world’s help, reason and responsibility
will regain the upper hand in Armenia. We have no time to waste —
there is a lot of work to do. Despite recent events, our country is
still moving forward. The international community has everything to
gain through supporting a stable, transparent and elected government
in Armenia", Serzh Sarkisian and Artur Baghdasarian write.