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ARMENIAN OPPOSITION'S RALLY IN 2009 PALED IN COMPARISON WITH PREVIOUS TURNOUTS - WIKILEAKS
news.am
Aug 25, 2011
Armenia
In one of the cables disclosed by WikiLeaks U.S. Ambassador to Armenia
Marie Yovanovitch presents in-depth coverage of the opposition rally
held in Yerevan on May 2009.
"Under the shadow of a heavy police presence, the opposition led by
ex-President Levon Ter-Petrossian (LTP) held its second rally of the
year on May 1. LTP accused President Sargsian of being willing to
pay any price -- even denial of the genocide -- to remain in power,
as evidenced by his support for the April 22 joint statement with
Turkey regarding normalization of relations," the document says.
Yovanovitch mentions that despite opposition claims that tens of
thousands attended the event, the crowd size was assessed by embassy
officials at six-to-eight thousand.
"LTP's tone while criticizing President Sargsian on Turkey and
Nagorno-Karabakh was less vitriolic than it could have been. LTP
further diffused the effect by also lambasting former President
Kocharian and the Armenian Diaspora on the issue. Nevertheless,
the remarks were not helpful.
In contrast with the large turnouts at LTP's campaign and protest
rallies in 2008, the May 1 event paled in comparison. Although the
road blocks likely prevented regional supporters from attending the
rally, LTP's traditional base of support has always been in Yerevan --
where people were free to come and go on May 1, and where warm weather
and a holiday made conditions ideal for a large turnout.
Although one can never rule out the wily ex-president, slackening
attendance at his rallies suggests that his supporters might be losing
faith in his chances to win an election in the current political
climate," the cable reads.
news.am
Aug 25, 2011
Armenia
In one of the cables disclosed by WikiLeaks U.S. Ambassador to Armenia
Marie Yovanovitch presents in-depth coverage of the opposition rally
held in Yerevan on May 2009.
"Under the shadow of a heavy police presence, the opposition led by
ex-President Levon Ter-Petrossian (LTP) held its second rally of the
year on May 1. LTP accused President Sargsian of being willing to
pay any price -- even denial of the genocide -- to remain in power,
as evidenced by his support for the April 22 joint statement with
Turkey regarding normalization of relations," the document says.
Yovanovitch mentions that despite opposition claims that tens of
thousands attended the event, the crowd size was assessed by embassy
officials at six-to-eight thousand.
"LTP's tone while criticizing President Sargsian on Turkey and
Nagorno-Karabakh was less vitriolic than it could have been. LTP
further diffused the effect by also lambasting former President
Kocharian and the Armenian Diaspora on the issue. Nevertheless,
the remarks were not helpful.
In contrast with the large turnouts at LTP's campaign and protest
rallies in 2008, the May 1 event paled in comparison. Although the
road blocks likely prevented regional supporters from attending the
rally, LTP's traditional base of support has always been in Yerevan --
where people were free to come and go on May 1, and where warm weather
and a holiday made conditions ideal for a large turnout.
Although one can never rule out the wily ex-president, slackening
attendance at his rallies suggests that his supporters might be losing
faith in his chances to win an election in the current political
climate," the cable reads.