ROBERT KOCHARIAN NOT PREPARED FOR DIALOG WITH LEVON TER-PETROSIAN
Noyan Tapan
April 4, 2008
YEREVAN, APRIL 4, NOYAN TAPAN. The Armenian president Robert Kocharian
considers as nonsense the holding of parliamentary elections as
a means of regulating a dialog between the authorities and Levon
Ter-Petrosian. Stating this at the April 4 briefing with journalists,
R. Kocharian said that such elections would be appropriate if the
parliament were unable to work or form a government, whereas, in his
words, the current National Assembly works efficiently.
R. Kocharian also declared that he is not ready for any dialog
with L. Ter-Petrosian. However, according to him, the new president
and government, as well as the political forces represented in the
parliament may discuss such an issue for certain reasons.
"I think that people to have committed criminal acts should be held
accountable by law," R. Kocharian said, noting that it is necessary
to punish severely people for shattering the country rather than
to engage in dialog with them. He reminded that he has proposed
establishing criminal responsibility for activity of sowing hatred
between two sections of the Armenian people. He explained that in
Armenia ethnic minorities are protected by law, racial discrimination
is a penal action, while the sowing of hatred beteen various sections
of the Armenian people is not. He attached importance to envisaing
criminal punishment for this action also from the viewpoint that
"some political figures have emerged who are ready to provide this
service to external forces."
R. Kocharian said that he will try to be consistent so that the
parliament will have deputies, factions or parties bearing the idea
of this proposal.