WILL RAFFI HOVANNISIAN QUIT THE GAME?
Lragir, Armenia
July 27 2007
Raffi Hovannisian is not thinking about the presidential election. He
made this unexpected statement in a news conference at the Hayatsk
club on July 27. "The Heritage Party now has one problem, and we are
preparing for this parliamentary election," Raffi Hovannisian says.
He means the voting at electoral district 15 from where he is running
for parliament. The leader of the Heritage Party denied the news
that he is likely to withdraw in favor of the ARF Dashnaktsutyun’s
candidate. Raffi Hovannisian says if the campaign is free and fair,
he will win. On the other hand, if he loses, it will be a dignified
defeat, Hovannisian says. He says he respects his opponents at
electoral district 15.
"The rest, we will discuss the rest later this fall when we hold
our conference and make a decision on our approaches regarding the
presidential election. Of course, we may expect broad collaboration
and rule out little," Raffi Hovannisian says in answer to the question
if the Heritage Party will collaborate with the ARF Dashnaktsutyun.
"The Heritage Party makes efforts to bring back step by step its votes,
and naming its candidate is not primary. It is important that this time
the citizen of the Republic of Armenia will have a real alternative. It
is your right to describe it with any adjective, united, core, etc. It
is important to have a real ideological alternative this time, which
may help the citizen make up his mind in the Armenian presidential
election," says Raffi Hovannisian.
As to running in the presidential election, Raffi Hovannisian did
not rule out that the Heritage Party will name its own candidate
but said he relies on the manly behavior of Robert Kocharyan. "God
gives us each day to review the past, to correct the mistakes, and
I think that the acting president, as well as the prime minister,
have a possibility to correct their mistake and to provide equal
opportunities by a new decree. Presently, if they or our opponents do
not fear free, meaningful, equal competition, there is the legal ground
for correcting the mistake with one decree," says the leader of the
Heritage Party. He means his problem of citizenship for which he had
applied in the 90s but got citizenship in 2001 and is not eligible. The
reporters noted, however, that Raffi Hovannisian calls Robert Kocharyan
to correct the mistake, whereas he was president from 1998, and if
he corrects the mistake, it will not enable Raffi Hovannisian to run
in the presidential election. Will the leader of the Heritage Party
appeal to the ex-president Levon Ter-Petrosyan under whose office he
had applied for citizenship? No, Raffi Hovannisian said.
He does not expect anything from Robert Kocharyan if the president
fails to correct the mistake. "It is not a matter of death and life.
Life is ahead, it is not an aim of life," Raffi Hovannisian says. He
thinks the rumored likely candidates of the opposition, including
Levon Ter-Petrosyan, are experienced public and political figures who
can be real alternative for voters. "I think, however, that separately
none of them can offer the alternative which may guarantee success in
the upcoming election. An amnesty is necessary, a serious analysis is
necessary for the time being. As far as I know, it has not happened
so far," Raffi Hovannisian says. According to him, no success can be
expected in the presidential election without a serious analysis of
the mistakes of the past.
RAFFI HOVANNISIAN IS UNAWARE OF THE SCENARIO
Raffi Hovannisian thinks the analysis of Hmayak Hovanisyan that the
West will keep the "government of Karabakh origin in Armenia" until
Azerbaijan becomes member of NATO and after Azerbaijan’s membership
the West will resolve the Karabakh issue in favor of Azerbaijan,
and will bring Raffi Hovannisian to power, and according to Hmayak
Hovanisyan, Raffi is aware, is an imaginary game. He says he is unaware
of such a scenario and it is the fruit of imagination of the political
scientist. Although Raffi Hovannisian says everyone has the right to
make their forecast of developments.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
