ARF’s Candidate In Presidential Election To Be ARF Member

ARF’S CANDIDATE IN PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION TO BE ARF MEMBER

YERKIR
27.07.2007 15:36

YEREVAN (YERKIR) – ARF Supreme Body of Armenia representative Armen
Rustamian, speaking at a news conference today, reiterated that the ARF
will nominate its own candidate – an ARF member – in the forthcoming
presidential election.

The candidate’s name will be revealed after the Supreme Congress to be
held in autumn. Rustamian said that the Supreme Congress would nominate
a candidate and not announce the ARF is to support another candidate.

Rustamian also said that a cooperation with the Heritage party or
any other force is possible.

"If there are political forces that would accept our approaches, we
will define cooperation mechanisms with them. As for the Heritage
party, we share common ideas in terms of national ideology with
Raffi Hovhannisian."

Commenting on National Assembly speaker Tigran Torosian’s statement
that a president would be strong if he has a majority in parliament,
Rustamian said that authoritarianism cannot be effective. "Strong
authority should be based on rightful concepts.

There should be mechanisms of balance and restriction in the
government. It would be even better if the president represents
another political force."

Responding to the question where the incumbent president would be
after the 2008 presidential election, he said, "I don’t think he
would be where the first president is."