MEETING AT PEOPLE’S PARTY OF ARMENIA

Haykakan Zhamanak
Nov 20 2008
Armenia

After stopping struggle via rallies, the leadership of the [opposition]
Armenian National Congress is, in essence, using this period of time
for setting up regional entities of the congress and strengthening the
already established ones. The visits of the ANC leader, first President
Levon Ter-Petrosyan, to the headquarters of the ANC member-parties
are probably connected with this. During these visits the first
president meets activists of the parties. The most essential part
of these meetings is that free and open discussions take place on
all issues. This provides an opportunity for getting a realistic
understanding of the existing situation.

Ter-Petrosyan continued the series of his visits, started 20 days
ago, meeting activists of the [opposition] People’s Party of Armenia
[PPA] at the PPA office. According to our information, a free and
open conversation was held with PPA activists as well on some urgent
issues. They discussed, in particular, the Karabakh settlement, the
possible resumption of rallies, political problems in the country and
impact of the global financial crisis on the Armenian economy. The
first president said that sector committees, which must play the role
of a shadow government, have been already set up; it [the shadow
government] will work concurrently with the government and will
react to all developments in the life of the country and will come
up with suggestions. As for the Karabakh issue, although the first
president said that he had already said everything concerning this
issue during the latest [opposition] rally, he added anyway that he
continues to believe that agreement on some principles in this issue
will be reached in the coming two or three months.

The first president also spoke about the political situation in Armenia
at the PPA office and said that [Armenian President Serzh] Sargsyan
had perfected the criminal regime, which was established by [former
President] Robert Kocharyan. Ter-Petrosyan also spoke in detail about
the issue of suspending the rallies and answered numerous questions of
the party’s activists. In particular, speaking about a debate on the
Karabakh settlement to be held at the Karen Demirchyan complex, which
has been called by Sargsyan, the first president said that everyone
understands that this is "an emptiest thing, some mixed meeting" where
there is nothing to discuss. The reason for convening this discussion,
according to Ter-Petrosyan, is that Sargsyan wants to have something
to show to the world. Ter-Petrosyan said that Sargsyan wants to create
an impression for the world that the Armenian government has started
a dialogue with the opposition, and thus everything is good.

Ter-Petrosyan said that Sargsyan wants to ward off dangers present
in the requirements of resolutions of the Parliamentary Assembly of
the Council of Europe’s [PACE]. Thus, Sargsyan is trying to avoid
critical issues raised in the PACE resolutions. Ter-Petrosyan said
this circumstance is dangerous, but added that he does not impose
his opinion on the leaders of the ANC member-parties and that they
are free to decide on their own whether they want to take part in
the discussions called by Sargsyan. Ter-Petrosyan said that the ANC
member-parties will assess the existing situation correctly and will
make a correct decision.

PS. It was reported late last night that all ANC member-parties turned
down Sargsyan’s offer. In fact, Sargsyan will discuss the Karabakh
issue with coalition parties and small puppet parties. Maybe only
representatives of the [opposition] Heritage Party, who said yesterday
[19 November] that they would take part in the discussion, will voice
different positions.