HRAIR KARAPETYAN: VAZGEN SARGSYAN WAS AWARE OF TER-PETROSYAN’S DANGER

news.am
Nov 19 2009
Armenia

Below is an interview with Hrair Karapetyan, the Chairman of
the Standing Committee on Defense, National Security and Internal
Affairs, RA Parliament, and member of the Executive Council, Armenian
Revolutionary Federation (Dashnakstutyun) ARF(D).

NEWS.am: Mr. Karapetyan, what is your comment on the speech delivered
by Armenia’s first President Levon Ter-Petrosyan at the meeting of
active members of the Armenian National Congress (ANC)?

H. Karapetyan: Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s speech was inconsistent, and he
himself was inconsistent during his presidency. His speech is evidence
he has not changed. For example, his speech did not make it clear what
is the ANC’s position on the Armenian-Turkish relations. Now they say
that no concessions are possible on the Armenian Genocide issue now
they deny the Hay Dat (Armenian Cause). I have the impression that
Ter-Petrosyan has no idea of Hay Dat and of whether it has anything
in common with the issue of the Armenian Genocide.

Nonetheless, from Ter-Petrosyan’s latest speech I draw the conclusion
that he has remained committed to the foreign-policy strategy he was
advocating when President. Ter-Petrosyan continues denying Hay-Dat ,
whereas the Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) issue is the first of Hay Dat’s
demands. It was no coincidence that, when President, Ter-Petrosyan
was pursuing a defeatist policy – leaving Nagorno-Karabakh as part
of Azerbaijan. His article entitled "War or Peace" is evidence thereof.

When President, Ter-Petrosyan was pursuing a disguised defeatist
policy, whereas he is openly advocating his ideas now, calling the
struggle waged by the Hay Dat supporting forces "a hysteric struggle."

All the statements are evidence of lack of political seriousness. A
political force whose only aim is to change power cannot be called
Opposition.

NEWS.am: What can you say about the fact that, despite his
severe criticism of President Serzh Sargsyan, in his recent speech
Ter-Petrosyan tried, as it were, to screen and justify the incumbent
President by laying the responsibility for the present situation on
his predecessor Robert Kocharyan?

H. Karapetyan: I consider Ter-Petrosyan’s speech nothing but a play
on words. I think that neither the people nor political figures,
including President Serzh Sargsyan, should take his words seriously –
he is a person disregarding national interests and ideals, an ambitious
person seeking to regain power. One of the most outstanding political
figures of the Third Republic, Vazgen Sargsyan, played a great role
in Ter-Petrosyan’s removal from power, as he was well aware of the
threat that one posed to Armenia.

NEWS.am: Many experts think that, by addressing Serzh Saregsyan,
Ter-Petrosyan was "extending a cooperating hand" to the authorities
on the threshold of parliamentary elections…

H. Karapetyan: The experts may be right. In this context the following
question should be put to the ruling majority: is their policy really
in line with the ideas of Levon Ter-Petrosyan and the ANC? If so,
the ARF is right – the incumbent authorities made a U-turn in their
policy. It means that the fundamental principles of the national
security concept have been revised, which is not publicized.

NEWS.am: What is the possible result of the ferment within the ANC?

The matter particularly concerns the criticism voiced by Zhirair
Sefilyan, the leader of the Miatsum (Unity) movement, which is part
of the ANC.

H. Karapetyan: I think the recent processes may split the ANC,
as Ter-Petrosyan’s policy is "after the heart" of the ANC members
representing the Armenian National Movement (ANM). Many of the
political forces forming the ANC accuse Ter-Petrosyan of being
inactive. They believe that the ANC’s passivity against the ARF’s
vigorous activities is affecting the ANC’s rating. In this context,
I think Ter-Petrosyan’s speech was aimed at encouraging his supporters
and assure them that the ANC will come to power without fail – if
not by elections, then by cooperating with the authorities.

NEWS.am: Mr. Karapetyan, what is the reason for the second president’s
prompt response to the first?

H. Karapetyan: An accused person is usually in a hurry to respond. On
the other hand, if a guiltless person tries to justify himself,
such one becomes half guilty.