Al-Tayyar, Lebanon
March 28 2009

Tashnak will back General Aoun, MP Murr is trying to find a decent
exit.

MP Hagop Pakradounian will hold a press conference today from
Tashnak’s headquarters where he will announce the outcome
of the debates with the allies and the opponents, i.e. he will
announce the list of Armenian candidates for the upcoming elections,
or what Tashnak calls "the Armenian deputies bloc".

Some sources said that Hariri’s offer to the party was the following:
6 parliamentary seats + 6 million dollars if they give up running the
battles in Mount Lebanon, Beirut and Zahle. The same sources expect
that the offer will be refuted for many reasons including the fact
that the Tashnak is not a party that buys and sells in politics, not
to mention that they became a major player on the ground and must be
taken very seriously in any political or electoral decision.

On the other hand, and after General Aoun refused an offer, proposed
by Tashnak, to leave a vacant seat for Elias el Murr if the latter
runs for the second orthodox seat instead of his father, MP Michel
Murr is left with only 2 options: either run alone and ally himself to
the Phalanges’ list that has an Armenian candidate, or run on the same
list with Kataeb but without an Armenian candidate. This second option
is not valid since MP Serge Torsarkissian insists on having an
Armenian candidate on the March 14 list. All of this lead to one and
only conclusion: the battle will take place without any exceptions in
Metn, and the biggest loser will be Michel Murr since he usually
counts on the Armenian votes.

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