Armenian President believes that in case of unification with ANM, Artur
Baghdasarian will lose half of his electorate

February 8, 2008

Yerevan /Mediamax/. `In case of unification with ANM [ex-ruling party
Armenian National Movement] Artur Baghdasarian will lose half of his
electorate', Armenian President Robert Kocharian stated in Yerevan
today.

Mediamax reports that the President said this, commenting on the
request of the journalists on the possibility of unification of the
oppositional candidates.

`The electorate of Artur Baghdasarian, as opposed to the electorate of
the Ex-President, is not resentful, I do not think that it is
compatible with the resentful supporters of Levon Ter-Petrosian',
Robert Kocharian stated.

`Remember the slogan of Artur Baghdasarian ` `New Armenia' and think
how many people it is possible to find in Armenia, who would be able to
relate this slogan with the discredited administration of Levon
Ter-Petrosian', the President stated.

He expressed opinion that the motive for the possible unification of
Artur Baghdasarian with the Ex-President can be the striving to gain
the position of the Prime Minister in case Ter-Petrosian wins. `A
person, to a greater or lesser extent familiar with the Constitution of
Armenia, knows that in the course of the nearest 4 years the position
of the Prime Minister will be occupied by a member of the Republican
Party', Robert Kocharian stated.