Mediamax, Armenia
Nov 27 2008

Most Armenians support president, establishing ties with Turkey – poll

Yerevan, 27 November: The results of a survey on political moods in
Armenia carried out by the Eastern-European branch of the Gallup and
commissioned by Armenian Public TV were presented in Yerevan today.

Armen Arzumanyan, the executive director of Public TV, said that the
survey was aimed at increasing the efficiency of communications
between Public TV and its audience. The poll was conducted between
late October and mid November in all regions of Armenia where 2000
adult citizens were polled. The poll results showed that 44.4. per
cent of the respondents support Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan;
18.58 per cent support former president and the leader of opposition
Armenian National Congress Levon Ter-Petrosyan; 57 per cent approved
of the authorities; 43 per cent expressed a negative opinion.

Presenting the analytical part of the poll, the authors noted that the
Armenian population does not link the solution of socio-economic
problems to the political parties, which, according to the poll
results, do not fight the country’s problems; instead, they fights
against each other.

The poll demonstrated a positive attitude of the population towards
the activity of the prime minister and the cabinet of Armenia; in
particular, in the sphere of reforms in tax administration and works
directed at restoring the disaster zone.

The section of Gallup poll on the normalization of Armenian-Turkish
relations showed that a majority (47.3 per cent) of the polled favours
establishing diplomatic relations, but with caution, and 26 per cent
definitely spoke for the establishment of relations; 18 per cent
opposed to establishing relations unless Turkey recognizes the
Armenian genocide. Sixty per cent said that Turkey will become a good
economic partner for Armenia, with 33 per cent saying it would make a
political partner.