Mekhitarian Confirms Tashnaq Allied with Aoun’s Bloc and Murr

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10/03/2009

88 days ahead of the forthcoming parliamentary elections, Lebanese seem
prepared to all types of surprises as the electoral lists are being
produced and alliances fixed¦

Meanwhile, questions are raised day after day concerning the position
of the Tashnaq Armenian group in the upcoming elections, mainly in the
Metn district, the district that seems to engage into one of the
fiercest electoral battles all over Lebanon.

However, the Tashnaq party doesn’t seem hesitated at all. "The decision
has been taken and our alliance declared," the party’s chief Hovig
Mekhitarian told Al-Manar on Monday. He explained that the party was
allied with the head of the Change and Reform parliamentary bloc MP
Michel Aoun and his political line, but also with the person of MP
Michel Murr.

Mekhitarian ruled out any possibility of entering any coalition against
Aoun’s bloc. Moreover, he noted that if Murr chooses to include an
Armenian in the list he’s preparing with the Phalange party, "then, we
won’t give MP Murr our votes."

The Tashnaq leader was denying false reports that claimed that he was
surprised by MP Agope Paqradounian’s stance in asserting Tashnaq’s
alliance with the Free Patriotic Movement. He denied any conflict in
opinions within the Tashnaq party, stressing the unified opp
osition was the official one.

Mekhitarian met with Future Movement leader MP Saad Hariri on Saturday
night in Qoreitem along with MP Murr and emphasized after the meeting
the importance of maintaining communications between Tashnaq and
Future. However, Mekhitarian denied to Al-Manar any electoral meaning
for the meeting. He said that the Armenians would not accept any seat
in Beirut that would be considered a "gift."