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WOOING THE EUROPEANS?: TSARUKYAN'S VISIT TO BRUSSELS REGARDED IN CONTEXT OF UPCOMING PRESIDENTIAL VOTE
POLITICS | 05.12.12 | 12:31
Photo: Gagik Tsarukyan's Official Facebook page
By NAIRA HAYRUMYAN
ArmeniaNow correspondent
On Tuesday leader of the Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) Gagik
Tsarukyan started a two-day visit to Brussels to meet with senior
representatives of the European Parliament, the European Commission,
the Agency for Foreign Affairs, parliamentarians as well as leaders
of the local Armenian community.
The visit by Tsarukyan (officially heading a PAP delegation) to the
political heart of Europe fueled speculation in Armenia that it was
connected with his long-awaited decision on the format of his and
his party's participation in the 2013 presidential election.
PAP has the second largest faction in the Armenian parliament and many
local experts believe this party's position will largely predetermine
the course and outcome of the February presidential election, in
which the ruling Republican Party's candidate for reelection will be
incumbent President Serzh Sargsyan.
The official period of nominating candidates in the February vote
will begin soon, but the PAP leader has not yet announced whether he
will run for president himself or will support another candidate.
On his Facebook account ex-Minister of Foreign Affairs and now senior
member of PAP Vartan Oskanian has tried to explain why Tsarukyan had
gone to Brussels. According to him, the visit has several aims. First,
to assure Europe of PAP's commitment to European values and that
it regards these values as a basis for institutional processes in
Armenia. Secondly, to get acquainted with European political parties
and to discuss possible cooperation. Thirdly, to hear European leaders'
opinions about the internal political processes in Armenia and the
prospects of reforms. Fourthly, to present to European officials the
ideology of the party and its policies and programs on domestic and
foreign-policy matters.
Experts say that Tsarukyan has apparently decided to diversify
his ties as so far PAP has been considered to be a "provider" of
Russian policies in Armenia: PAP has actively been promoting Russian
geopolitical projects, including the idea of a Eurasian Union in
Armenia. But European integration appears to be a more fashionable
thing to be talking about in Armenia now. "One would think that Russia
would try to scuttle this attempted diversification of Armenia's
foreign policy, while Tsarukyan's 'diversification' will help stop
PAP from turning into a blunt instrument of Russia," writes a Lragir
newspaper commentator.
Still, there is an opposite view according to which Tsarukyan may,
from Brussels, declare his support for current president Sargsyan. In
particular, those who predict such a scenario think that "after
talking to European officials, Tsarukyan will see that Sargsyan is the
only person capable of bringing Armenia into the European family." As
Oskanian says, PAP has always advocated institutionalization in Armenia
based on European values. In that regard, PAP could be expected to
support Sargsyan after such "assurances" from Brussels.
Meanwhile, the Armenian National Congress (ANC), the main opposition
bloc in Armenia, managed on Tuesday to enlist the support of PAP and
other minority faction members for applying to the Constitutional Court
regarding the majority's boycott of its earlier initiative to amend
the electoral code. ANC used the occasion to once again emphasize
the growing cooperation among forces opposed to the government,
including with PAP.
Meanwhile, PAP has not given any clear indications yet about
the possibility of fielding a single candidate with ANC and other
opposition groups. As it gets closer to the nominations stage, however,
experts see fewer chances of such a consolidation producing a single
candidate.
POLITICS | 05.12.12 | 12:31
Photo: Gagik Tsarukyan's Official Facebook page
By NAIRA HAYRUMYAN
ArmeniaNow correspondent
On Tuesday leader of the Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) Gagik
Tsarukyan started a two-day visit to Brussels to meet with senior
representatives of the European Parliament, the European Commission,
the Agency for Foreign Affairs, parliamentarians as well as leaders
of the local Armenian community.
The visit by Tsarukyan (officially heading a PAP delegation) to the
political heart of Europe fueled speculation in Armenia that it was
connected with his long-awaited decision on the format of his and
his party's participation in the 2013 presidential election.
PAP has the second largest faction in the Armenian parliament and many
local experts believe this party's position will largely predetermine
the course and outcome of the February presidential election, in
which the ruling Republican Party's candidate for reelection will be
incumbent President Serzh Sargsyan.
The official period of nominating candidates in the February vote
will begin soon, but the PAP leader has not yet announced whether he
will run for president himself or will support another candidate.
On his Facebook account ex-Minister of Foreign Affairs and now senior
member of PAP Vartan Oskanian has tried to explain why Tsarukyan had
gone to Brussels. According to him, the visit has several aims. First,
to assure Europe of PAP's commitment to European values and that
it regards these values as a basis for institutional processes in
Armenia. Secondly, to get acquainted with European political parties
and to discuss possible cooperation. Thirdly, to hear European leaders'
opinions about the internal political processes in Armenia and the
prospects of reforms. Fourthly, to present to European officials the
ideology of the party and its policies and programs on domestic and
foreign-policy matters.
Experts say that Tsarukyan has apparently decided to diversify
his ties as so far PAP has been considered to be a "provider" of
Russian policies in Armenia: PAP has actively been promoting Russian
geopolitical projects, including the idea of a Eurasian Union in
Armenia. But European integration appears to be a more fashionable
thing to be talking about in Armenia now. "One would think that Russia
would try to scuttle this attempted diversification of Armenia's
foreign policy, while Tsarukyan's 'diversification' will help stop
PAP from turning into a blunt instrument of Russia," writes a Lragir
newspaper commentator.
Still, there is an opposite view according to which Tsarukyan may,
from Brussels, declare his support for current president Sargsyan. In
particular, those who predict such a scenario think that "after
talking to European officials, Tsarukyan will see that Sargsyan is the
only person capable of bringing Armenia into the European family." As
Oskanian says, PAP has always advocated institutionalization in Armenia
based on European values. In that regard, PAP could be expected to
support Sargsyan after such "assurances" from Brussels.
Meanwhile, the Armenian National Congress (ANC), the main opposition
bloc in Armenia, managed on Tuesday to enlist the support of PAP and
other minority faction members for applying to the Constitutional Court
regarding the majority's boycott of its earlier initiative to amend
the electoral code. ANC used the occasion to once again emphasize
the growing cooperation among forces opposed to the government,
including with PAP.
Meanwhile, PAP has not given any clear indications yet about
the possibility of fielding a single candidate with ANC and other
opposition groups. As it gets closer to the nominations stage, however,
experts see fewer chances of such a consolidation producing a single
candidate.