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Sarkozy sought to win Armenians' sympathy ahead of presidential race - Komersant
13:03 - 08.10.11
(Photocredit A1plus)
French President Nicolas Sarkozy's visit to Yerevan can be
characterized as nothing more than an attempt to gain the
French-Armenians' sympathy ahead of the presidential election in
France, a Russian analyst has said.
In an interview with the Komersant newspaper, Sergei Strokan spoke of
Sarkozy's diminishing popularity in France, considering his visit to
Yerevan an important part of his South Caucasus tour.
"Nicolas Sarkozy, whose reputation has dropped to 26% and who is going
to struggle for re-election in next year's presidential campaign,
began a tour to the South Caucasus, with the visit to Yerevan being a
key element of his initiative. And the most important thing for him
was to win the votes of the Armenian Diaspora," he said, adding that
the French leader's recent statement on the Armenia genocide was
mostly targeted to the electorate in his country, rather than Armenia
and Turkey per se.
As for the Turkish authorities criticism over the statement, the
expert noted that Sarkozy urges Turkey to do something that his
country has not implemented so far.
"As a matter of fact, the topic of the Armenian Genocide is very
complicated and ambiguous," Strokan said, emphasizing that France has
not fully acknowledged the Genocide. "The lower house of the French
parliament has recognized the fact of the Genocide, but the upper
house has not done so. So Sarkozy is calling on Turkey to do something
his country has not fully implemented so far."
Asked whether Sarkozy managed to gain the sympathy of Yerevan, he
said: "He did win the sympathy of Yerevan but let me note that his
principal target was the voter. But the latter's response will be
moderate as the French electorate is sensible enough to be cheated
easily."
Tert.am
13:03 - 08.10.11
(Photocredit A1plus)
French President Nicolas Sarkozy's visit to Yerevan can be
characterized as nothing more than an attempt to gain the
French-Armenians' sympathy ahead of the presidential election in
France, a Russian analyst has said.
In an interview with the Komersant newspaper, Sergei Strokan spoke of
Sarkozy's diminishing popularity in France, considering his visit to
Yerevan an important part of his South Caucasus tour.
"Nicolas Sarkozy, whose reputation has dropped to 26% and who is going
to struggle for re-election in next year's presidential campaign,
began a tour to the South Caucasus, with the visit to Yerevan being a
key element of his initiative. And the most important thing for him
was to win the votes of the Armenian Diaspora," he said, adding that
the French leader's recent statement on the Armenia genocide was
mostly targeted to the electorate in his country, rather than Armenia
and Turkey per se.
As for the Turkish authorities criticism over the statement, the
expert noted that Sarkozy urges Turkey to do something that his
country has not implemented so far.
"As a matter of fact, the topic of the Armenian Genocide is very
complicated and ambiguous," Strokan said, emphasizing that France has
not fully acknowledged the Genocide. "The lower house of the French
parliament has recognized the fact of the Genocide, but the upper
house has not done so. So Sarkozy is calling on Turkey to do something
his country has not fully implemented so far."
Asked whether Sarkozy managed to gain the sympathy of Yerevan, he
said: "He did win the sympathy of Yerevan but let me note that his
principal target was the voter. But the latter's response will be
moderate as the French electorate is sensible enough to be cheated
easily."
Tert.am