ARMENIAN OPPOSITION LEADER ADMITS POLITICAL FIASCO - ARMENIAN NA VICE-SPEAKER
TERT.AM
22:57 ~U 07.02.13
In his interview with the Chorrord Inknishkhanutyun, Armenia's first
president Levon Ter-Petrosyan admitted the reality: the influential
national movement Armenian National Congress (ANC) is now a small
group, and the political struggle of many years has turned into
a fiasco, Spokesman of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia and
Vice-Speaker of Armenia's parliament Eduard Sharmazanov told Tert.am.
"In his interview, Mr Ter-Petrosyan actually confessed that the ANC
is not any more a leading or influential force. If I remember well,
he says that, after the ANC turns into a party, it may become one of
Armenia's influential political forces. That is, he admits the ANC
is not among the most influential forces now. This is nothing but a
political confession that the 5-year-long struggle led by him is a
fiasco," Mr Sharmazanov said.
"The social liberalism Armenia's first president is speaking of -
I have some doubt if they are ready to turn into social liberals in
a week," Sharmazanov said.
With respect to institutional changes, it is up to the political
force to decide, he added.
As regards the impression that the ANC leader is drawing parallels
between the ANC and US Democrats, as well as with the Republican Party
of Armenia (RPA), Mr Sharmazanov said: "First, I should say that the
Republican Party is associated with all the conservative parties.
National conservatism is the most popular and influential throughout
the world."
With respect to Mr Ter-Petrosyan's forecast that Armenia "at the hand
of its authorities will give up its independence and join Russia as its
constituent territory or associate member," Mr Sharmazanov called it
"absurd and unrealistic."
"Secondly, during the last five years Armenia has developed its
strategic partnership with Russia, as well as friendly relations and
partnership with the United States and the European Union members. May
be, the foreign policy achievements, which are incorporated in the
mechanisms of consolidating our country's security system, arouse
concern? This is evidence of high-level Armenian-Russian partnership,"
Mr Sharmazanov said.
TERT.AM
22:57 ~U 07.02.13
In his interview with the Chorrord Inknishkhanutyun, Armenia's first
president Levon Ter-Petrosyan admitted the reality: the influential
national movement Armenian National Congress (ANC) is now a small
group, and the political struggle of many years has turned into
a fiasco, Spokesman of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia and
Vice-Speaker of Armenia's parliament Eduard Sharmazanov told Tert.am.
"In his interview, Mr Ter-Petrosyan actually confessed that the ANC
is not any more a leading or influential force. If I remember well,
he says that, after the ANC turns into a party, it may become one of
Armenia's influential political forces. That is, he admits the ANC
is not among the most influential forces now. This is nothing but a
political confession that the 5-year-long struggle led by him is a
fiasco," Mr Sharmazanov said.
"The social liberalism Armenia's first president is speaking of -
I have some doubt if they are ready to turn into social liberals in
a week," Sharmazanov said.
With respect to institutional changes, it is up to the political
force to decide, he added.
As regards the impression that the ANC leader is drawing parallels
between the ANC and US Democrats, as well as with the Republican Party
of Armenia (RPA), Mr Sharmazanov said: "First, I should say that the
Republican Party is associated with all the conservative parties.
National conservatism is the most popular and influential throughout
the world."
With respect to Mr Ter-Petrosyan's forecast that Armenia "at the hand
of its authorities will give up its independence and join Russia as its
constituent territory or associate member," Mr Sharmazanov called it
"absurd and unrealistic."
"Secondly, during the last five years Armenia has developed its
strategic partnership with Russia, as well as friendly relations and
partnership with the United States and the European Union members. May
be, the foreign policy achievements, which are incorporated in the
mechanisms of consolidating our country's security system, arouse
concern? This is evidence of high-level Armenian-Russian partnership,"
Mr Sharmazanov said.