TASHNAG SEEKING MURR-AOUN RECONCILIATION

Naharnet
Jan 28 2009
Lebanon

The Tashnag party is reportedly seeking to reconcile MP Michel Murr
with Free Patriotic Movement leader Michel Aoun.

The daily As Safir quoted well-informed sources as saying that they
expect Tashnag’s efforts to show positive results after mid February.

The paper said the Armenian party was waiting for the outcome of
Defense Minister Elias Murr’s visit to Syria on Wednesday in order
to resume its reconciliation efforts or change the work method.

Tashnag explained that if Murr’s Damascus visit was a success and
resulted in more than the formal task of military cooperation, the
party would arrange a meeting between Michel Murr and Aoun.

However, if the results of the defense minister’s trip remained
confined to the formal aspect, then Tashnag, according to As Safir,
would seek to avoid embarrassment by convincing Aoun to draw up an
"open" list such as keeping at least one Greek Orthodox seat vacant
to keep MP Murr "comfortable" with the election competition.

As Safir said Tashnag had been trying for the past two months to bridge
the gap between Murr and Aoun, adding that it had succeeded in holding
more than a meeting between Minister Murr and FPM’s Telecommunications
Minister Jebran Bassil after exchange of verbal attacks made a reunion
between the two Michels impossible.

On the election battle, As Safir said Tashnag decided to mobilize
Armenian immigrants in cities across the globe.