Ter Petrosyan’s party unsure if he will speak on Independence Day

On September 21, on the occasion of the 16th anniversary of Armenia’s independence, the Armenian National Movement is having a celebration at the Armenia-Marriot hotel. As informed to panorama.am by the party’s press spokesman, Karen Karapetyan, nearly all of the opposition representatives are invited to the two-hour event, with the exception of the three ruling parties, the Republicans, Prosperous Armenia, and Dashnaktsutyun.

We note that Gurgen Arsenyan, of the United Workers party, is also invited.

To the question as to why representatives of the ruling parties are not invited to an event celebrating the country’s independence, Karapetyan answered, “They are the ones bearing the responsibility of the illegalities currently plaguing the country.”

The speaker assured us that Levon Ter Petrosyan would be present at the event. But as to whether he will break his long-lasting silence, Karapetyan had difficulty answering: “I think only he can answer that question.”

http://www.panorama.am/en/politics/2007/09/19/terpetrosyan/

Some parties admitted to purging members, sometimes for “mistakes.” The Dashnak representative joked during his interview that more members had been expelled from the Dashnak Party than had remained within the party.

http://yerevan.usembassy.gov/assistance/docs/polassistance.pdf

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Armen Rustamyan also explained the party’s decision to name two candidates. By nominating Armen Rustamyan and Vahan Hovanisyan to the presidential election Dashnaktsutyun practiced the experience of developed political systems. “If we are considering a party’s commitment to democracy, the party should first display democracy inside it. It is one of the simplest and most important expressions of democracy,” Armen Rustamyan says.

The ARF Dashnaktsutyun member gave a positive answer to the question whether it means that Armen Rustamyan and Vahan Hovanisyan will be competing to win over the ranks of the party. “It is going to be an open and transparent competition. We will have meetings with our ranks in the regions, invite supporters, present our approaches and our points of views. The logic of Dashnaktsutyun is: no matter who is selected, people will eventually support Dashnaktsutyun,” Armen Rustamyan says.

According to Rustamyan, the difference is that of persons. “I may put the stresses in my way, and Vahan in his way. We share ideas, nevertheless there is difference in style.”

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http://www.a1plus.am/en/?page=issue&id=52428