Tweet
ARMENIAN COALITION TALKS 'STILL GOING ON'
By Astghik Bedevian and Ruzanna Khachatrian
Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
May 28 2007
The ruling Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) is still negotiating with
other parties loyal to President Robert Kocharian over the formation
of a new coalition government, Pirme Minister Serzh Sarkisian said
on Monday.
"Negotiations are still going on," Sarkisian told RFE/RL, confirming
that his party is ready to share power with the Armenian Revolutionary
Federation (Dashnaktsutyun) and the Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK)
despite its landslide victory in the May 12 parliamentary elections.
The HHK will control just over a half of the seats in parliament,
putting Sarkisian in a position to form a new government
single-handedly. Nonetheless, observers believe that the Armenian
premier is willing to give several ministerial portfolios to
Dashnaktsutyun and the BHK to give his cabinet greater legitimacy and
build broad-based political support for his bid to succeed Kocharian
as president early next year. Kocharian's support for continued
coalition rule, which he made clear over the weekend, is also seen
as a major factor.
"The Republican Party is in favor of forming a serious and legitimate
coalition government as a result of constructive negotiations,"
said Eduard Sharmazanov, the HHK spokesman. He said
Dashnaktsutyun is understood to have agreed in principle to remain
in government despite its leaders' earlier statements that they will
not be a "fifth wheel" in an HHK-led coalition and demands that the
Armenian Ministry of Defense be headed by a member of the nationalist
party. Sources privy to the ongoing talks told RFE/RL on Monday
that the recently appointed Defense Minister Mikael Harutiunian,
who is a career military officer and not affiliated with any party,
will remain in charge.
Newspaper reports have said that the Republicans are only prepared
to let three of the four Dashnaktsutyun-affiliated ministers serving
in Sarkisian's outgoing cabinet keep their jobs. None of them is in
charge of defense, national security, and foreign policy.
The BHK and its leader Gagik Tsarukian will reportedly settle
for two minor ministerial portfolios not least because of their
worsen-than-expected performance in the elections. The pro-Kocharian
party has been widely regarded as a counterweight to the HHK ever
since its creation in late 2005.
Sarkisian cautioned that the ongoing negotiations will not necessarily
end in success. Asked whether the HHK might eventually decide to go it
alone, he said: "Everything possible. That is why we are negotiating."
Sarkisian also did not rule out the possibility of making power-sharing
offers to even some opposition forces, notably Raffi Hovannisian's
Zharangutyun party. "Everything is possible. Just wait for a couple
of more days and everything will be clear," he said.
The HHK leader spoke while attending with Kocharian an official
celebration near the southern town of Armavir of the 89th anniversary
of the establishment of a short-lived independent Armenian republic.
The anniversary is a public holiday in the country officially known
as First Republic Day.
The event was also attended by virtually all government ministers.
Even the most influential of them seemed unsure of their political
future. "I'm not the one who decides that," Minister for Local
Government Hovik Abrahamian told RFE/RL.
Abrahamian was effectively sidelined from the HHK's election campaign
despite being its nominal manager. Sarkisian and other senior
Republicans allegedly suspected him of secretly collaborating with
the BHK and Kocharian.
Asked whether he is indeed mistrusted by Sarkisian, Abrahamian said:
"Ask him. In my opinion, our relations are good."
Another prominent official, Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian, said he
has not yet been offered to continue to perform his duties. "Nothing
is clear yet," he said. "We have to wait and see."
Sources told RFE/RL that Oskanian as well as Minister for Transport
and Communications Andranik Manukian, Education Minister Levon
Mkrtchian, and Culture Minister Hasmik Poghosian will be re-appointed
by Sarkisian.
By Astghik Bedevian and Ruzanna Khachatrian
Radio Liberty, Czech Rep.
May 28 2007
The ruling Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) is still negotiating with
other parties loyal to President Robert Kocharian over the formation
of a new coalition government, Pirme Minister Serzh Sarkisian said
on Monday.
"Negotiations are still going on," Sarkisian told RFE/RL, confirming
that his party is ready to share power with the Armenian Revolutionary
Federation (Dashnaktsutyun) and the Prosperous Armenia Party (BHK)
despite its landslide victory in the May 12 parliamentary elections.
The HHK will control just over a half of the seats in parliament,
putting Sarkisian in a position to form a new government
single-handedly. Nonetheless, observers believe that the Armenian
premier is willing to give several ministerial portfolios to
Dashnaktsutyun and the BHK to give his cabinet greater legitimacy and
build broad-based political support for his bid to succeed Kocharian
as president early next year. Kocharian's support for continued
coalition rule, which he made clear over the weekend, is also seen
as a major factor.
"The Republican Party is in favor of forming a serious and legitimate
coalition government as a result of constructive negotiations,"
said Eduard Sharmazanov, the HHK spokesman. He said
Dashnaktsutyun is understood to have agreed in principle to remain
in government despite its leaders' earlier statements that they will
not be a "fifth wheel" in an HHK-led coalition and demands that the
Armenian Ministry of Defense be headed by a member of the nationalist
party. Sources privy to the ongoing talks told RFE/RL on Monday
that the recently appointed Defense Minister Mikael Harutiunian,
who is a career military officer and not affiliated with any party,
will remain in charge.
Newspaper reports have said that the Republicans are only prepared
to let three of the four Dashnaktsutyun-affiliated ministers serving
in Sarkisian's outgoing cabinet keep their jobs. None of them is in
charge of defense, national security, and foreign policy.
The BHK and its leader Gagik Tsarukian will reportedly settle
for two minor ministerial portfolios not least because of their
worsen-than-expected performance in the elections. The pro-Kocharian
party has been widely regarded as a counterweight to the HHK ever
since its creation in late 2005.
Sarkisian cautioned that the ongoing negotiations will not necessarily
end in success. Asked whether the HHK might eventually decide to go it
alone, he said: "Everything possible. That is why we are negotiating."
Sarkisian also did not rule out the possibility of making power-sharing
offers to even some opposition forces, notably Raffi Hovannisian's
Zharangutyun party. "Everything is possible. Just wait for a couple
of more days and everything will be clear," he said.
The HHK leader spoke while attending with Kocharian an official
celebration near the southern town of Armavir of the 89th anniversary
of the establishment of a short-lived independent Armenian republic.
The anniversary is a public holiday in the country officially known
as First Republic Day.
The event was also attended by virtually all government ministers.
Even the most influential of them seemed unsure of their political
future. "I'm not the one who decides that," Minister for Local
Government Hovik Abrahamian told RFE/RL.
Abrahamian was effectively sidelined from the HHK's election campaign
despite being its nominal manager. Sarkisian and other senior
Republicans allegedly suspected him of secretly collaborating with
the BHK and Kocharian.
Asked whether he is indeed mistrusted by Sarkisian, Abrahamian said:
"Ask him. In my opinion, our relations are good."
Another prominent official, Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian, said he
has not yet been offered to continue to perform his duties. "Nothing
is clear yet," he said. "We have to wait and see."
Sources told RFE/RL that Oskanian as well as Minister for Transport
and Communications Andranik Manukian, Education Minister Levon
Mkrtchian, and Culture Minister Hasmik Poghosian will be re-appointed
by Sarkisian.