WHO CAN UNITE THE OPPOSITION
Armen Tsaturyan
Hayots Ashkharh Daily
Sept 3 2007
Armenia
The astonishing concept that before the forthcoming presidential
elections pro-opposition camp can unite only around Levon Ter-Petrosyan
is persistently promulgated recently.
Of course, if in the near future, Levon Ter-Petrosyan makes up his
mind to nominate his candidacy for presidency, he will definitely be
surrounded by the pro-opposition powers and figures that have once
been related to Armenian Pan National Movement and its satellites.
But to clarify Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s real chances to become the united
or pivotal pro-opposition candidate, we must take into account three
principal realities.
First: Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s political biography is closely linked
to the activity and ideology of Armenian Pan National Movement,
towards which the significant part of the pro-opposition camp has
negative attitude.
Second: During his 8-year’s activity, as the first RA President,
Levon Ter-Petrosyan has never appeared as state and national figure,
ready for mutual concessions regarding political issues. Just on the
contrary he used to publicize his disagreements with his rivals and
even to exaggerate, as a consequence of which he had serious problems
with the overwhelming majority of today’s pro-opposition leaders.
Third: After 1998 ex-President has never had any role in Armenia’s
political life, has never cooperated with the pro-opposition powers.
That is to say in their imagination he is former authority and not
present opposition.
It turns out that with all principal parameters, with the party he
belongs, with his inability to make political compromises and his role
in the political life after resigning Levon Ter-Petrosyan differs
from all the political figures that can be considered candidates to
unite the pro-opposition powers or more or less compromising figures.
Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s disadvantage or maybe advantage is that he
embodies certain political course, ideology and he has undeniable
ability to divide all the powers into "Jews" and "pagans", in order
to have victory.
Thus, one should have unlimited imagination to consider an individual
with such abilities the one who can unite opposition.
Should we be guided by the same logic and compare all the leaders
of the pro-opposition front with Levon Ter-Petrosyan, we will get
the following picture of their opportunities to become the axis
of unification.
VAZGEN MANUKYAN: has been opposition, for the previous and the present
authorities. Unlike Levon Ter-Petrosyan, in 1996 he managed to unite
the significant part of pro-opposition powers around him.
RAFFI HOVHANNISYAN: also considered an irreconcilable opposition and
enjoys higher rating than Levon Ter-Petrosyan. Besides that unlike
the ex-President he is perceived not only by pro-western but by
nationalistic powers.
ARTHUR BAGHDASARYAN: unlike Levon Ter-Petrosyan for many years he
has managed to find compromises and has managed to cooperate with
pro-western Armenian Pan National Movement, nationalistic RPA or ARF,
as well as many pro-opposition leaders.
The same can be said about Stepan Demirchyan who had success in 2003,
when he was opposition leader, Artashes Geghamyan, who has always
dreamt to appear in that role, and even Aram Karapetyan, based on the
fact that with their role in the opposition domain, their ability to
make mutual concessions, their ability to push to the background,
their internal party problems and their clear attitude towards the
acting authorities, the unifying potential; of these leaders surpasses
Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s chances.
There is only one version to imagine Levon Ter-Petrosyan in the role
of the opposition leader. That is – to turn the picture of Armenia’s
whole opposition front by 180 degrees, to make the last be the first
as Bible says.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
