Armenia’s Ex-Fm Explains His Criticism

ARMENIA’S EX-FM EXPLAINS HIS CRITICISM

TERT.AM
04.05.12

Armenia’s ex-FM Vartan Oskanian, a member of the Prosperous Armenia
Party (PAP), confirms he wanted to leave Armenia’s government and
join the PAP in 2007.

“Yes, there was such a problem, and President Robert Kocharyan wanted
me to remain because the negotiations over Nagorno-Karabakh reached
the critical phase. There were also numerous other problems, and
he said to me ‘you’d better remain,’ and I agreed,” Oskanian told
journalists on Friday.

“Ten years ago I said that I would resign. Ten years ago I saw our
problems were here, not outside. I wanted to do that and I am happy
that I had this opportunity and can act openly now,” Oskanian said.

With respect to the reasons why neither the PAP nor himself were so
critical before, Oskanian said that not being critical in the past
does not at all mean not being critical now. “A moment came for me to
realize I had to leave the government to be able to openly criticize
what was going on. And I did so in 2008,” Oskanian said.

No one of the Armenian ex-president Robert Kocharyan’s team is
‘unplaced’ now. “And if you think that I was unworthy of being offered
a post, you are wrong. I was not only offered a post, but they even
entreated me,” Oskanian said.

The reason for his leaving the government was his discontent with the
situation, particularly with the government’s foreign policy. “So I
am – and will be – openly critical until Armenia sees real reforms,”
Oskanian said.

As to whether Robert Kocharyan’s speech dealt with the authorities’
poor economic policy or alternative political implications should be
looked for, Oskanian said that this question is to be addressed to
Robert Kocharyan.