Hayots Ashkharh Daily, Armenia
Oct 20 2007
MOMENT TO BECOME SERIOUS
Judging by all, the circles assiduously preparing for Levon
Ter-Petrosuyan’s `return’ are little by little starting to overcome
the feeling of `euphoria’ and are looking around carefully, weighing
the resources of the reanimation of the Armenian pan-National
Movement.
Encouraged by the data of the SMS surveys and virtual
computer-based polls published in the press supporting the Armenian
pan-National Movement, these people were quite recently daydreaming
that Mr. Ter-Petrpsyan’s `unexpected’ return would give rise to an
incredible panic and fuss inside the pro-Government camp. In the
meantime, without giving any information on whether the criminal
administration is shaking in agony or is about to have a heart
attack. But here they are: with the purpose of scrutinizing and
invalidating the results of the most recent polls conducted by the
Armenian Sociological Association, they have conducted a `fleeting’
survey on their own. And they were horrified to find out that the
inhabitants of the center of town (as to the district population and
especially those living in villages, we modestly keep silence about
them) are not, mildly speaking, delighted by the dreamy prospect of
the pro-Ter-Petrosyan revanche.
Moreover, they mention with disappointment that the people, alas,
do not want to hear anything about bringing `Levon’ to power for the
second time. Whereas, the `the pan-national revival’ seemed so close
that it was enough to just stretch your hand and get hold of the
victory.
Or, as Aram Z. Sargsyan would say, it only remains to decide
whether to seize the Presidential residence and then join `decisive’
demonstration on October 26, or gp to the demonstration and then lead
the critical mass to Baghramyan Avenue to seize the Winter Castle.
Alas, the moment to become serious has arrived. Referring to some
`PR’ specialist, the fans regret to state that `there will be a
choice between strength and intellect’. And after the elections they
will declare to the whole world that the elections were falsified. Or
society is not yet mature enough to have an `intellectual’ president
like L.T.P.
These individuals cannot in any way put up with the idea that the
people do not suffer from amnesia and unlike some political leaders,
they do not have the psychology of a manipulated person. Making a
fool of themselves, they even fail to `realize’ the obvious truth
that the fight between the present-day and former authorities is
first of all around the issue whether or not to cede Karabakh. And
during the upcoming presidential marathon (if, of course, Levon
Ter-Petrosyan decides to nominate his candidacy, after all) the
choice will be between the those who hurry to resolve the Karabakh
conflict at all costs and their confirmed rivals who desire to
re-subject Karabakh to Azerbaijan in some status.
Undoubtedly, the RA citizens will simultaneously make a choice
among denationalization, a unilateral pro-Western policy and a
balanced, i.e. complementary foreign policy. Because, even though Mr.
Ter-Petrosyan has found himself surrounded by Russia’s unfriendly
attitude, he is far-sighted enough to avoid cutting the navel string
between Russia and Armenia, and his team (which, let’s note, is not
quite a suitable place for Stepan Demirtchyan, Head of the People’s
Party of Armenia) is the best index of the ex-President’s
geopolitical preferences.
At the same time, the voters will have to answer a number of
`adjacent’ questions. For instance, whether it is worth to regulate
the relations with Turkey at the price of refusing to pursue the
`short-sighted’ state policy aimed at achieving the international
recognition of the Armenian Genocide or to leave the issue on the
agenda of the RA foreign policy?
Or whether history (national ideology) is a false category or not
quite so?
And after all, as Andranik Mihranyan mentioned last week, in case
of Mr. Ter-Petrosyan’s participation, the elections will change into
a specific kind of referendum by which society will sum up the
balance sheet of Armenia’s newest history, including the period when
the Armenian pan-National Movement was in power and the period that
followed it. After all, they will assess the activities of the former
and present-day authorities.
In this respect, the good news is that certain signs of
sensibility are being observed among the people who suffered from the
childish disease of dreaming about Mr. Ter-Petrosyan’s return. Even
the Levon-oriented circles confess from the distant town of Los
Angeles that this is not an appropriate moment for the Armenian
pan-National Movement to take revanche.
As they say, better late than never.
S. HAROUTYUNYAN