ROBERT KOCHARYAN: TER-PETROSYAN HAS POOR RELATIONS WITH MORALS
armradio.am
12.05.2008 14:35
On April 9, 2008 RA President Robert Kocharyan’s tenure in office came
to an end. About a month after the inauguration of the new President
gave an exclusive interview to Mediamax, commenting on the latest
statement of Levon Ter-Petrosyan.
– Speaking at the congress of his supporters, Levon Ter-Petrosyan
dedicated most part of his speech to accusations against you. Would
you react to those?
– I should say that I was not about to give any interview, but I have
to do that after the absurd statements made by Levon Ter-Petrosyan ,
whom I had almost forgotten about.
By throwing mud at others, Levon Ter-Petrosyan will not become
purer himself. His manner of self-justification causes a feeling of
disgust. He never had the courage to take responsibility. At times
of crisis he always though only about himself. It was the case after
the arrest of the "Karabakh" Committee, during the Karabakhi War and
in 1998. The same is taking place today.
I will not turn to the chronology of events: the investigation should
restore the events of March 1-2 minute by minute. I hope that the
special commission suggested by the Council of Europe will also address
the issue. I also hope that the materials will be publicized, and
every citizen ill be able to distinguish between the lie and the truth.
– Levon Ter-Petrosyan and the media and political organizations
supporting him present the events of March 1-2 in such a way that
it comes out that the mass disorders and application of force were
previously planned by the authorities. What would you say in this
regard?
– Only a dull and a deeply indecent person could assert that the
authorities had previously planned the application of force.
One should understand whom it is profitable to. Any clashes of this
kind are first of all a blow to the authorities. It’s obvious that
the opinion that the authorities failed to do everything possible
to avoid deaths will always prevail. This is the reality. It is
true for similar situations in European countries. In such cases
the application of force should be a compulsory measure for the
authorities, which prevents more serious consequences, especially
for me as an outgoing President.
To understand the truth one must simply remember: who was trying
to defame the authorities during the whole election campaign and
especially after the elections? Who was calling the authorities a
"group of gangs?" Who was making the servicemen and policemen break
their pledge? Who was blackmailing the international structures
and observers for their positive conclusions? Ter-Petrosyan
and the Pan-Armenian National Movement (HHSh) needed blood
as a tool of continuing the struggle after the defeat in the
elections. Ter-Petrosyan did everything to provoke disorders and make
the Police apply force.
At last, who continues to use the events of March 1 for political
purposes?
Let everyone answer for himself, applying to his/her conscience and
draw conclusions.
– Ter-Petrosyan attracts special attention to the fact of his "home
arrest? How can this be explained?
– Levon Ter-Petrosyan needs the version of home arrest like
air. Without it is hard to justify his absence from the square
next to the City Hall on March 1. I insist that there was no home
arrest. Moreover, the Armenian legislation does not provide for
any such legal regime. Ter-Petrosyan was told he could go anywhere
and any time. However, the participation of the guards in illegal
rallies, which grew into mass disorders, was impermissible. By the
way, a responsible man would behave just that way. No revolutions
are carried out with participation of the State Guard Service.
Did he want to go there, and was forced to return? Let him say
who has done that. Let him apply to the Prosecutor’s Office. Levon
Ter-Petrosyan’s escort is comprised of people loyal to him, who were
allowed to stay him upon his request. The head of the escort is a
man close to his family. Everyone knows that they are only formally
registered in the State Guard Service.
The topic of "home arrest" should be in the focus of attention of
the Prosecutor’s Office and the commission to be formed. If someone
has committed a crime ex officio, let him answer before law.
The legend about home arrest is a justification of a coward who is
trying to avoid responsibility. I’m not a President any more, and
I cannot afford using freer vocabulary, calling the things by their
right names.
– In Ter-Petrosyan’s words, "the authorities have something to
conceal." According to him, that is the reason why no one has
been charged with using weapons against the Police. Besides, the
ex-President speaks about your negotiations with you through foreign
Abassadors on March 1. Which is the truth?
– Why hasn’t anyone been accused of using weapons against the Police?
Because some of the main participants still avoid the investigation. In
case of having two killed and 41 injured policemen, it’s stupid to
question the application of force. I’m speaking only about 43 persons
who received gunshot or missile wounds.
Ter-Petrosyan noticed some contradiction in my speech during a
press conference, when I was saying that the Police troops were not
armed. The ex-President should know the difference of the regime of
carrying weapons in the Police and the Police troops. The clashes
started with the Police troops, the soldiers of which were armed only
with truncheons and shields.
The two killed and most of the injured were from the Police troops. I’m
confident that Ter-Petrosyan knows about it, but deliberately misleads
his supporters.
Levon Ter-Petrosyan asserts that he negotiated with me on March
1 through diplomats accredited in Armenia. I’m not aware of the
fact, I held no talks on March 1 through foreign diplomats and
have not received any suggestion. Upon my instruction, the Head of
President’s Staff Armen Gevorgyan had two meetings in the evening with
representatives of international organizations and Ambassadors of EU
member states. The meeting was of informative nature and included no
elements of negotiations.
Generally, judging from everything, Levon Ter-Petrosyan has poor
relations with morality. I think he needs all this lie to keep his
supporters and the opportunity to guide them.