Armenian leader’s aides want him to run for third presidential term – paper
SOURCE: Iravunk, Yerevan
27 Aug 04
Text of article by I.H. Iravunk entitled “Waiting for Putin’s
decision” and published in Armenian newspaper Iravunk on 27 August
Maybe the fact that Belarusian President Alyaksadr Lukashenka has
decided to run for presidency for the third time is the reason why
talk has begun in Armenia of President Robert Kocharyan doing the
same. It is clear that such a desire is unconstitutional, but it is
also obvious that in Robert Kocharyan’s inner circle they never pay
attention to such trifles.
But it is interesting that according to our sources close to Robert
Kocharyan, the incumbent president does not yet have the intention to
run for presidency for a third term. They also say that Robert
Kocharyan is not in a hurry to take the decision. He will watch
attentively his “strategic partner” Vladimir Putin’s next steps
because the latter is in some sense in the same situation. Putin also
seems not to be making any efforts to extend his presidency, although
he said that it would be better if the presidential term in Russia was
five instead of four years. Time will show if the incumbent Russian
president’s recommendation is taken into account or not. Unlike in
Russia, in Armenia this issue is not even relevant since in spring
2008, fortunately or unfortunately, Kocharyan will have been in power
for 10 years.
Anyway, as Lukashenka’s example and Putin’s “improvement” on it show,
Robert Kocharyan’s third presidential term does not seem
improbable. Moreover, according to our source, Kocharyan’s inner
circle headed by his first aide has already adopted a decision, in
spite of anything to persuade their “boss” to stand in the elections
for the third time.