"MAIN REASON OF SPLIT OF ARMENIAN SOCIETY ARE VICTIMS OF MARCH 1 EVENTS," LEADER OF ULP BELIEVES

Noyan Tapan

Ma y 15, 2008

YEREVAN, MAY 15, NOYAN TAPAN. According to Gurgen Arsenian,
the Leader of the United Labour Party, the Armenian society is
currently split, first of all because of the human losses of the
March 1 events. Commenting on the March 1 events, Gurgen Arsenian
reminded of the April 12, 2004 events at the press conference held
on May 15, when the mass meeting of the opposition was dispersed
with the interference of law enfocement bodies, however, no one died
then. According to him, in difference to the 2004 events, they did
not manage to avoid "irreparable human losses" on March 1, 2008.

In response to the question of who is guilty of the victims,
Gurgen Arsenian mentioned that the issue will be made clear by
the investigation of the law enforcement bodies. According to him,
law enforcement bodies "are not a charity organization" and their
activities can sometimes bring forth irreparable losses.

Gurgen Arsenian stated that the ULP has always considered the
phenomenon, when political processes are moved to "a civil plane", as
inadmissible. As an example he introduced the recent events in Lebanon,
in which the civil society was involved. "That is the most dangerous
thing," Gurgen Arsenian said, adding that the March 1 situation in
Armenia was like the current one in Lebanon, however, later they
managed to hold up the aggravation of the situation in Armenia.

The ULP, in his words, does not hurry to officialy respond to the
March 1 events as it is seeking to remain loyal, not wanting to
"pour oil on the flames."