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"TER-PETROSSIAN DESTROYED THE KOCHARYAN REGIME; THAT IS WHY HE LEFT, OTHERWISE HE WOULDN'T HAVE LEFT"
http://www.aravot.am/en/2013/01/11/148744/
JANUARY 11, 2013 20:36
Have you become so disappointed in Levon Ter-Petrossian and the
Congress that, although you stood by the first president at the time,
you now say that you want Serzh Sargsyan to win? In response to this
question of www.aravot.am, Azat Arshakyan, a former member of the
Supreme Council, said today: "First of all, Levon Ter-Petrossian
abandoned the struggle. He removed a very big obstacle in Serzh
Sargsyan's way to reelection by that very move. I mean his latest
decision."
We asked to clarify whether he was disappointed by that, he replied:
"I am not disappointed in Levon Ter-Petrossian. I am saying, 'Long
live the president. The first president left, long live the incumbent
president.' I don't think that since Levon Ter-Petrossian has left,
Armenia should be without a president. Armenia must have a president,
and whoever is elected in the short run, he will be our president. And
I say thank you to Levon Ter-Petrossian that he struggled. I say thank
you to him also for leaving, that he told us to act as we wished,
every one of us separately. Since he, the commander, has left, we
should live as we wish."
We inquired what the Congress's destiny would be, whether it would
dissolve, disappear, he replied: "It had better dissolve, because
the Armenian National Congress (ANC) rallied around him. The ANC was
Levon Ter-Petrossian and the parties. Now the parties should continue
their work without Levon Ter-Petrossian."
According to Azat Arshakyan, Levon Ter-Petrossian himself was a strong
rival to Serzh Sargsyan and could be a serious obstacle in his way to
reelection. In response to our question whether Levon Ter-Petrossian
would have been a strong rival even without the Prosperous Armenia
Party (PAP), he said: "He would have been even stronger with the PAP.
I think the Congress's potential has reduced recently. That is the
very reason why Levon Ter-Petrossian left. So the resources of the
ANC had diminished."
Azat Arshakyan made a very interesting statement. "I think that the
ANC and Levon Ter-Petrossian had done what they had been supposed to
do. Levon Ter-Petrossian and the Congress ousted Robert Kocharyan from
power and had nothing else to do. Levon Ter-Petrossian stated they
would destroy the regime, didn't he? The regime is destroyed. Levon
Ter-Petrossian actually thought he had done his job; that is why he
left. Otherwise, he wouldn't have left."
In response to our observation that Levon Ter-Petrossian had also
called this government - not only Kocharyan's rule - an authoritarian
regime during the parliamentary election, he said: "You're right,
Levon Ter-Petrossian was consistent in that sense, but he also talked
about realpolitik, didn't he? In some cases, pragmatic moves should
be made - cooperation with the enemy's enemy or some intrigues. I
don't think I have the right to criticize Master Levon Ter-Petrossian."
When we expressed surprise that according to him, since the first
president had left, the incumbent president had to be saluted, Azat
Arshakyan said: "Yes, why not? I think that Serzh Sargsyan will purge
Armenia of anti-political elements. There are many worthless people
in politics. I think Serzg Sargsyan will remove them and will go down
in history by that."
Since Azat Arshakyan had a business, we asked him whether he "plays
into Serzh Sargsyan's hands" because of his business, he assured that
he had had that business also during Robert Kocharyan's presidency
when he had been oppressed.
Hripsime JEBEJYAN
http://www.aravot.am/en/2013/01/11/148744/
JANUARY 11, 2013 20:36
Have you become so disappointed in Levon Ter-Petrossian and the
Congress that, although you stood by the first president at the time,
you now say that you want Serzh Sargsyan to win? In response to this
question of www.aravot.am, Azat Arshakyan, a former member of the
Supreme Council, said today: "First of all, Levon Ter-Petrossian
abandoned the struggle. He removed a very big obstacle in Serzh
Sargsyan's way to reelection by that very move. I mean his latest
decision."
We asked to clarify whether he was disappointed by that, he replied:
"I am not disappointed in Levon Ter-Petrossian. I am saying, 'Long
live the president. The first president left, long live the incumbent
president.' I don't think that since Levon Ter-Petrossian has left,
Armenia should be without a president. Armenia must have a president,
and whoever is elected in the short run, he will be our president. And
I say thank you to Levon Ter-Petrossian that he struggled. I say thank
you to him also for leaving, that he told us to act as we wished,
every one of us separately. Since he, the commander, has left, we
should live as we wish."
We inquired what the Congress's destiny would be, whether it would
dissolve, disappear, he replied: "It had better dissolve, because
the Armenian National Congress (ANC) rallied around him. The ANC was
Levon Ter-Petrossian and the parties. Now the parties should continue
their work without Levon Ter-Petrossian."
According to Azat Arshakyan, Levon Ter-Petrossian himself was a strong
rival to Serzh Sargsyan and could be a serious obstacle in his way to
reelection. In response to our question whether Levon Ter-Petrossian
would have been a strong rival even without the Prosperous Armenia
Party (PAP), he said: "He would have been even stronger with the PAP.
I think the Congress's potential has reduced recently. That is the
very reason why Levon Ter-Petrossian left. So the resources of the
ANC had diminished."
Azat Arshakyan made a very interesting statement. "I think that the
ANC and Levon Ter-Petrossian had done what they had been supposed to
do. Levon Ter-Petrossian and the Congress ousted Robert Kocharyan from
power and had nothing else to do. Levon Ter-Petrossian stated they
would destroy the regime, didn't he? The regime is destroyed. Levon
Ter-Petrossian actually thought he had done his job; that is why he
left. Otherwise, he wouldn't have left."
In response to our observation that Levon Ter-Petrossian had also
called this government - not only Kocharyan's rule - an authoritarian
regime during the parliamentary election, he said: "You're right,
Levon Ter-Petrossian was consistent in that sense, but he also talked
about realpolitik, didn't he? In some cases, pragmatic moves should
be made - cooperation with the enemy's enemy or some intrigues. I
don't think I have the right to criticize Master Levon Ter-Petrossian."
When we expressed surprise that according to him, since the first
president had left, the incumbent president had to be saluted, Azat
Arshakyan said: "Yes, why not? I think that Serzh Sargsyan will purge
Armenia of anti-political elements. There are many worthless people
in politics. I think Serzg Sargsyan will remove them and will go down
in history by that."
Since Azat Arshakyan had a business, we asked him whether he "plays
into Serzh Sargsyan's hands" because of his business, he assured that
he had had that business also during Robert Kocharyan's presidency
when he had been oppressed.
Hripsime JEBEJYAN