"I GET TIRED BUT I AM NOT EXHAUSTED"
A1+
21 July, 2008
On July 21 a news conference was held at the presidential office
dedicated to the 100th day of Serzh Sarkissian’s presidency. Most
questions concerned the relations between Serzh Sarkissian and Robert
Kocharian and the rumoured influence of Robert Kocharian on public
administration.
Serzh Sarkissian says he is aware of those rumours and considers them
as preposterous. Public administration is not business administration
where a shareholder appoints a CEO and rules through him. "I am
responsible for all my decisions," stated Serzh Sarkissian. He added
that he consults with Robert Kocharian, his coalition partners and
specialists.
As to reporters’ observation that Armenia’s ex-president Robert
Kocharian said he wouldn’t invite Abdullah Gul to Armenia if he were
president, Serzh Sarkissian said: "I thinks it is not criticism." He
thinks Robert Kocharian merely expressed his disagreement. During
Kocharian’s presidency Serzh Sarkissian did not agree with him on all
matters but he did not voice disagreement publicly. Serzh Sarkissian
says he respects Kocharian’s stance.
"I’m confident that President Gul’s visit to Yerevan will allow
turning the existing trends into a stable movement targeted at the
normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations," noted Sarkissian.
Armenia’s President disagreed with the opinion of some Turkish
political circles that the normalization of relations will be
beneficial only for Armenia. "The normalization of relations will
be mutually beneficial, and I hope that when taking a decision on
visiting Yerevan Abdullah Gul will be guided by reason."
Sarkissian stressed that normalization of relations with Turkey will
be a "great success" for Armenia.
Serzh Sarkissian also touched upon Levon Ter-Petrossian’s appeal to
release the political prisoners with one phone call. Sarkissian says
he is not used to working with such methods.
As to the efforts made in the past one hundred days of his presidency,
namely combat against corruption and restoration of public confidence,
Serzh Sarkissian said: "I promise to double efforts in this direction."
Asked whether those steps could not have been made in the past ten or
five years, and whether they are not belated, Sarkissian said good
things also happened in the past, and he is not tend to recall only
the bad ones.
"Simply time, problems and environment have changed. The problems
can be solved after they have fully ripened."
Serzh Sarkissian thinks it is necessary to evaluate the past because
only the evaluation of the past can help reach progress."
"Are you exhausted?" asked a journalist.
"Sometimes I get tired but I am not exhausted," answered Serzh
Sarkissian.