HRANT MARGARIAN: COALITION IS NOT AN END IN ITSELF FOR DASHNAKTSUTYUN

Noyan Tapan

Ma y 21, 2008

YEREVAN, MAY 21, NOYAN TAPAN. In the opinion of respresentative of
the ARF Dashnaktsutyun Bureau Hrant Margarian, Dashnaktsutyun failed
at the presidential election but not because of its wrong policy or
incorrect activities. According to him, there were bloody clashes
during the presidential elections in 1996 and 2008 in an atmosphere
of social polarization. "Was it an accident that the same person was
the same major player – participant in both elections," H. Margarian
asked at the 30rd general assembly of the ARF on May 21.

In his words, after ten years of silence, a person whose presidency
years people recall with hatred, came to the political field. Having
united the opposition around himself, this person, according to
H. Margarian, created a strained and polarized atmosphere instead of
starting an ideological struggle. "The election was no longer among the
candidates, it was between the former and current authorities. Those,
who feared the return of the former authorities, voted for the current
ones, while those displeased with the current authorities, voted for
the former ones," the ARF Bureau member said.

According to him, what happened in the country was an attempt to
carry out a colored revolution, which was organized by outside forces
and headed by the opposition candidate for presidency. When this
attemp failed and all means of peaceful struggle were exhausted,
the tragic March 1 events occured, from which neither the people
nor the authorities benefited. "There was only one person (NT: Levon
Ter-Petrosian) to benefit from it, and, unfortunately, he achieved it".

H. Margarian said that two poles formed in the country: on one pole
there was the opposition whose goal was not power but "getting rid of
the Karabakh problem", while on the other pole were the authorities
which "did not win through clean election", but the international
community did not object to their election. According to H. Margarian,
it was the necessity to confront both external pressure and domestic
dangers that made Dashnaktsutyun form part of the ruling coalition. At
the same time he pointed out that the coalition is not an end in
itself for the Dashnaktsutyun. "While the danger is not over, our
remaining in the coalition is understandable. However, the duration
of the coalition is conditioned by clear-cut tasks, and from time to
time we will assess the efficiency of cooperation," he said.