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HUNCHAK READY TO SUPPORT EX-LEADER'S PRESIDENTIAL BID
By Anna Saghabalian
Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
Aug 7 2007
Armenia's oldest traditional party has signaled its readiness to
support the possible attempt of Armenia's ex-leader to return to
power in next year's presidential election.
Lyudmila Sarkisian, the leader of the Social-Democratic Hunchak Party,
did not exclude on Tuesday that first president Levon Ter-Petrosian
may win their support as the opposition's single candidate if he
"shows his will for victory".
But above all, she said, it is essential that the country's opposition
should make an effort to rally around a single candidate ahead of
next year's presidential election.
"I wasn't among Ter-Petrosian's supporters at that time, but in
today's situation I see in his person a man capable of engaging in
the struggle," the leader of the small opposition party told reporters.
Sarkisian admitted that the people may well remember the problems that
dogged Armenia's first post-Soviet government and Ter-Petrosian's
administration, but added: "I think Ter-Petrosian has also learned
lessons from the mistakes. And today he can appear in a new image."
However, she did not insist on Ter-Petrosian's being the only single
candidate that they would consider supporting.
"The principle and the need for unity are essential," Sarkisian
reiterated.
"If the opposition is unable to draw conclusions after the
parliamentary elections and is unable to unite, we all have nothing
else to do in politics," she explained.
Ter-Petrosian and his office have so far remained tightlipped on
their plans for the 2008 presidential election.
By Anna Saghabalian
Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
Aug 7 2007
Armenia's oldest traditional party has signaled its readiness to
support the possible attempt of Armenia's ex-leader to return to
power in next year's presidential election.
Lyudmila Sarkisian, the leader of the Social-Democratic Hunchak Party,
did not exclude on Tuesday that first president Levon Ter-Petrosian
may win their support as the opposition's single candidate if he
"shows his will for victory".
But above all, she said, it is essential that the country's opposition
should make an effort to rally around a single candidate ahead of
next year's presidential election.
"I wasn't among Ter-Petrosian's supporters at that time, but in
today's situation I see in his person a man capable of engaging in
the struggle," the leader of the small opposition party told reporters.
Sarkisian admitted that the people may well remember the problems that
dogged Armenia's first post-Soviet government and Ter-Petrosian's
administration, but added: "I think Ter-Petrosian has also learned
lessons from the mistakes. And today he can appear in a new image."
However, she did not insist on Ter-Petrosian's being the only single
candidate that they would consider supporting.
"The principle and the need for unity are essential," Sarkisian
reiterated.
"If the opposition is unable to draw conclusions after the
parliamentary elections and is unable to unite, we all have nothing
else to do in politics," she explained.
Ter-Petrosian and his office have so far remained tightlipped on
their plans for the 2008 presidential election.