Levon Ter Petrosian Press Conference: Extreme Confidence or Breathtaking Arrogance?

Yesterday’s press conference by the former president of the Republic of Armenia, Levon Ter Petrosian, at the Marriott Armenia was impressive to say the least. Even if opinion polls and general conversations with people on the streets indicate that the former head of state has little support at present, interest from the media was high. In fact, the Tigran Mets Ballroom at the hotel was full to capacity and exceeded past press conferences held before or during past elections.

Even though the start of the official pre-election campaign period is still more than a week away, Ter Petrosian staged the event to take questions from journalists eager to pose questions to the first president. Elusive and almost solitary until recently, Armenia Now reports that yesterday’s press conference was the first in over a decade. Ter Petrosian was forced to resign in 1998 by then prime minister, now president, Robert Kocharian as well as others including then Defense Minister, Vazgen Sarkisian.

For many it was an opportunity to ask partisan questions and another excuse to publish yet more reports stating that Ter Petrosian is the main opposition candidate ahead of next month’s presidential vote regardless of what every single opinion poll in Armenia indicates, but mainly, it was also an opportunity to ask questions that have been demanding answers for years. Whichever questions were posed, however, Ter Petrosian took them in his stride and was confident as well as humorous from time to time.

After reading A1 Plus’ report, however, others might call it arrogance. Certainly, he was unrepentant and not afraid to be seen as such.

“Vazgen Manukian thinks that in 1996 he was elected president. I respect his opinion and belief. However, politics is neither opinion nor belief. Politics is a legal process connected with the state. After the elections Vazgen Manukian appealed to the Constitutional Court and submitted the records of over 1000 polling stations but he was unable to prove,” Levon Ter-Petrossian said.

“There were inaccuracies in some records. Thousands of such inaccuracies can be found in every election.

“It is a legal process. International observation mission observed irregularities, drawbacks in some polling stations, but they endorsed the outcome of the election,” Levon Ter-Petrossian says. According to him, international observers did not recognise the elections of Albania and Belarus, but they recognized the elections in Armenia in 1996.

Levon Ter Petrosian, Press Conference, Marriott Armenia, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Oneworld Multimedia 2008

Well, the international community also recognized the presidential elections of 1998 and 2003, the 2005 constitutional referendum and last year’s parliamentary election in Armenia, but neither Ter Petrosian or any of his radical opposition supporters do. Moreover, his response to a question as to why the Armenian Revolutionary — Dashnaktsutyun was banned during his tenure as president is hardly going to win friends in — or influence members of — Armenia’s large Diaspora. E-Channel has more.

While talking about closing Dashnaktsutyun in 1994, Ter-Petrossian advised not to confuse and mix up the story.

He said that Dashnaktsutyun has been faced by one demand – conforming their activities to the RA law – therefore, the party must be headed by citizens of Armenia, and not from Diaspora.

“With my decree, I have just temporarily suspended the activities of the party, before the court decision. It has lasted for 10-12 days. Then the court provided the party with time to correct the confusion. They have not done it,” said the first president. He explained that they had later started negotiations with Dashnaktsutyun on re-opening the party but they did not manage to finish the work due to the change of the authorities.

Questions as to why Ter Petrosian chose to return to active politics almost ten years after he left the political stage might also not convince many. If Ter Petrosian is to be believed, Armenia is on the brink of total collapse and catastrophe that will almost certainly occur if the prime minister, Serzh Sarkisian, comes to power. Nevertheless, despite his stated concerns, he remained notably silent during the past ten years of Kocharian’s rule. It’s no wonder that many neutral observers wonder why now?

Yesterday, however, he finally offered an explanation.

It is due to mention that Levon Ter-Petrossian had been asked to return and to run for elections many times. Particularly, his adherents persuaded him to run in the presidential elections of 2003.

“I refused. It was an hour of triumph for Stepan Demirchian. If I had participated, I would not stand the chance to win the election. I would only hinder Stepan Demirchyan, which would be utterly wrong for him, for me and for the whole country. Things have changed today. After the parliamentary elections of 2007 the opposition has significantly weakened and lost its role in the parliament.

True, the radical opposition represented by two of Ter Petrosian’s backers, Aram Sarkisian (ironically the brother of one of those that actually forced his resignation in 1998) and Nikol Pashinian failed to enter parliament last year, and with good reason. Simply put, even if there hadn’t been falsification and vote buying, they would have failed to attract enough votes. Reference to Demirchian’s “triumph” in 2003 when he failed to lead massive street protests to victory after international observers said the election failed to meet international standards will also amuse many.

Indeed, it seems somehow ironic that Ter Petrosian believes he couldn’t beat an inexperienced and somewhat weak candidate such as Demirchian in 2003, but that he can now take on the administrative resources of the government and the prime minister in 2008. Something doesn’t seem to quite add up here, I’m afraid. Regardless, Ter Petrosian’s method of allocating positions in government in the event of coming to power might also raise a few eyebrows. Shades of King Lear, perhaps.

Mediamax reports that, speaking at a news conference in Yerevan today, Levon Ter-Petrosian stated that in case he wins during the presidential elections of February 19, members of his team will be the representatives of those political forces, which support him today. “Those people are well-known to you, each of the political forces will gain positions in proportion with the contribution, made to reaching victory”, the first President of Armenia stated.

Nevertheless, the reason for Levon Ter Petrosian’s return now still remains a matter for much speculation, but one thing is certain. Even if most Armenians remain either apathetic towards the election or adamant that they will not allow Levon Ter Petrosian to return to power, what was most remarkable about the veteran statesman is his sophistication, intellect and presence. Yesterday, at the press conference, it was Ter Petrosian that controlled proceedings even in the face of hostile questions.

Levon Ter Petrosian, Press Conference, Marriott Armenia, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Oneworld Multimedia 2008

Answers that now seem inadequate in the cold light of day were not followed up on by an audience of journalists that often found itself laughing with Ter Petrosian or sitting silently listening to every word. Certainly, Armenian politics has not seen such a figure contest an election here in recent years and some say it will be these characteristics which will prove to be his main assets when contesting the 19 February vote. During his second public rally in November, for example, The Armenian Observer described the experience perfectly.

The crowd was also more inspired - responding to the speech very enthusiastically, at least in the tight center where I was standing, and for a moment I felt inspired and elated. I felt, that it’s great after all, that Ter-Petrossian decided to come back - the political struggle has become so much more interesting by that. LTP is definitely much more charismatic and a better speaker then any of the politicians in the opposing camp - and today I felt for the first time ever, that he might actually have a chance of winning, because compared to him, Serge Sargsyan seems dull and weak to say the least.

Now, when I soberly view the video’s I’ve made during the rally and read the text of the speech, I can’t seem to understand, why was I feeling so good about him? LTP didn’t say anything new about the accusations brought against him. Speaking of the 2007 Parliamentary elections and electoral system changes he only reiterated Nikol Pashinyan’s claims, which back in May only roused my smile. And yet, somehow, the man had full control of my emotions - I felt I want him to be president!? Charisma? Magic? Whatever it was, he will badly need a lot more of it - because I still don’t see more then 10% change of the First President’s comeback, and I see close to 0% of reasons, for him to even attempt it at this point.

And while the population might still not be convinced about the return of Levon Ter Petrosian for next month’s presidential election, although it has to be said the official pre-election campaign period has not yet started, there appears to be some signs of dissent even within those parties now supporting him. Yesterday, RFE/RL reported that a prominent figure in Stepan Demirchian’s People’s Party has resigned because of its endorsement of Ter Petrosian.

Stepan Zakarian, a senior HZhK member and former parliament deputy, said he terminated his decade-long membership in the party late last month because of his highly negative assessment of Ter-Petrosian’s track record in power. He blamed the former president for government abuses and socioeconomic hardship that marred his rule from 1991-1998.

“I hold Levon Ter-Petrosian primarily responsible not so much for the hardship as the people’s loss of faith,” Zakarian told RFE/RL.

Well, such defections are hardly going to concern Demirchian much. During last year’s parliamentary election in Armenia his rallies were attended by less than a few hundred people even in Yerevan, and the People’s Party attracted only 37,044 votes — 2.7 percent). As with the Republic party (22,288 votes — 1.6 percent) and Impeachment (17,475 votes — 1.3 per cent), Ter Petrosian’s candidacy sometimes seems as much about avoiding disappearing from the political scene entirely as it does about actually resolving many outstanding problems facing the country.

Other parties supporting Ter Petrosian can be described as insignificant or even virtually non-existent and, as has been mentioned on this blog before, opinion polls show Ter Petrosian trailing other opposition candidates as well as the prime minister. Nevertheless, despite signs that he has insufficient support at present, demonstrating either extreme confidence or breathtaking arrogance, Ter Petrosian once again set the cat among the pigeons. “While others say ‘We will win,’” he remarked, “I say ‘I have already won.’”

Few other than his supporters for now would choose to agree with him. Certainly, he has much experience, charisma and potential, but until the pre-election campaign begins it remains to be seen whether it can or will be realized.

Levon Ter Petrosian, Press Conference, Marriott Armenia, Yerevan, Republic of Armenia © Onnik Krikorian / Oneworld Multimedia 2008