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MOSCOW HAS NO FAVORITES IN THE ELECTIONS IN NAGORNO-KARABAKH
Vestnik Kavkaza
June 21 2012
Russia
Author: Radio Rossii
The presidential campaign has begun in Nagorno-Karabakh. Four
candidates are going to struggle for the post of head of this
breakaway region. Experts assume that the result of the struggle is
predetermined. They associate this fact with the aggravation of the
situation on the borderline with Azerbaijan.
Bako Saakyan, the current head of the republic, is considered to be
the favorite of the campaign. His main rival is Vitali Balasanyan,
a deputy of the National Assembly. In addition, Arkadi Sogomonyan, the
rector of the local branch of the Armenian State Agrarian University,
and Valeri Khhchatryan, who is currently unemployed, will participate
in the struggle for the post. Experts consider the chance of the
latter two candidates to be negligible.
Unlike other electoral processes in post-Soviet countries, Moscow
hasn't got any favorite in this case. The Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
has not been recognized by any state, including Armenia which is its
patron. Russia is an intermediary between Baku and Yerevan in the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict; it recognizes the territorial integrity of
Azerbaijan. Therefore it cannot have any official relations with the
leaders of the breakaway region, Alexei Vlasov, the editor-in-chief
of VK notes.
"There are some officials among Russian politicians who have special
relations with the elite of the Nagorno-Karabakh republic, including
experts and even Duma deputies, but they do not represent the official
point of view of our country. I suppose the Nagorno-Karabakh issue,
as before, will be considered in the context of settling the conflict
with our participation, but no more. Russia can hardly build special
ties with the Nagorno-Karabakh republic.
Concerning the prospects of settling the conflict, the results of the
presidential campaign in the republic will not influence this issue.
The first reason for this is the fact that the representatives of the
Nagorno-Karabakh republic don't participate in the negotiations on
this problem. The second reason is that the sides should be ready
to agree to compromise in order to overcome the deadlock, but the
favorite of the campaign, Bako Saakyan, thinks that it is impossible
to make any concessions to Azerbaijan. At the same time, Alexei Vlasov
is sure that Saakyan's victory is predetermined:
"Most of the candidates registered by the Central Electoral Commission
will play subordinate roles. It is a known fact that Bako Saakyan is
the main favorite in the coming presidential elections. That's why
we cannot speak about true competition of programs or ideas; we can
speak about a quasi-competition created by the participation of three
other candidates who emphasize the advantages and political experience
of Bako Saakyan, the current head of the republic. It is a gross
exaggeration to say that these elections will really be competitive
or there will be any intrigue in them," Alexei Vlasov summed up.
From: Baghdasarian
Vestnik Kavkaza
June 21 2012
Russia
Author: Radio Rossii
The presidential campaign has begun in Nagorno-Karabakh. Four
candidates are going to struggle for the post of head of this
breakaway region. Experts assume that the result of the struggle is
predetermined. They associate this fact with the aggravation of the
situation on the borderline with Azerbaijan.
Bako Saakyan, the current head of the republic, is considered to be
the favorite of the campaign. His main rival is Vitali Balasanyan,
a deputy of the National Assembly. In addition, Arkadi Sogomonyan, the
rector of the local branch of the Armenian State Agrarian University,
and Valeri Khhchatryan, who is currently unemployed, will participate
in the struggle for the post. Experts consider the chance of the
latter two candidates to be negligible.
Unlike other electoral processes in post-Soviet countries, Moscow
hasn't got any favorite in this case. The Nagorno-Karabakh Republic
has not been recognized by any state, including Armenia which is its
patron. Russia is an intermediary between Baku and Yerevan in the
Nagorno-Karabakh conflict; it recognizes the territorial integrity of
Azerbaijan. Therefore it cannot have any official relations with the
leaders of the breakaway region, Alexei Vlasov, the editor-in-chief
of VK notes.
"There are some officials among Russian politicians who have special
relations with the elite of the Nagorno-Karabakh republic, including
experts and even Duma deputies, but they do not represent the official
point of view of our country. I suppose the Nagorno-Karabakh issue,
as before, will be considered in the context of settling the conflict
with our participation, but no more. Russia can hardly build special
ties with the Nagorno-Karabakh republic.
Concerning the prospects of settling the conflict, the results of the
presidential campaign in the republic will not influence this issue.
The first reason for this is the fact that the representatives of the
Nagorno-Karabakh republic don't participate in the negotiations on
this problem. The second reason is that the sides should be ready
to agree to compromise in order to overcome the deadlock, but the
favorite of the campaign, Bako Saakyan, thinks that it is impossible
to make any concessions to Azerbaijan. At the same time, Alexei Vlasov
is sure that Saakyan's victory is predetermined:
"Most of the candidates registered by the Central Electoral Commission
will play subordinate roles. It is a known fact that Bako Saakyan is
the main favorite in the coming presidential elections. That's why
we cannot speak about true competition of programs or ideas; we can
speak about a quasi-competition created by the participation of three
other candidates who emphasize the advantages and political experience
of Bako Saakyan, the current head of the republic. It is a gross
exaggeration to say that these elections will really be competitive
or there will be any intrigue in them," Alexei Vlasov summed up.
From: Baghdasarian