Related posts:

• Levon Ter-Petrossian Claims Baghdasarian, Hovannisian Support
• Baghdasarian Confirms Negotiations
• United Opposition Candidate Still Unclear
• Levon Ter-Petrossian Marches (Reprise)
• Heritage: Statement
• Vahan Hovannisian Pre-Election Campaign Launch
• Heritage Still Undecided
• Hopes for Opposition Unity?

1. Onnik 02.05.08 / 8pm

   The A1 Plus take is different:

   “The First RA President Levon Ter-Petrosyan has serious motives to think that Arthur Baghdasaryan and Raffi Hovhanissian will join him”, told the press speaker of the First President Aram Musinyan to the journalists. By saying serious basis, Musinyan meant the negotiations between the three powers. To the question whether Ter-Petrosyan might join Arthur Baghdasaryan, Musinyan advised to wait till the end of the week and everything would become clear.

   Musinyan ensured that they had serious motives to say that Aram Karapetyan would also join Ter-Petrosyan. The journalists also tried to find out how Arthur Baghdasayan’s joining Levon Ter-Petrosyan would reflect on Baghdasaryan since he was threatened to be killed in case he joined Ter-Petrsoyan. “You would rather address that question to Arthur Baghdasaryan. But that will become clear by the end of the week as well”.

   Interestingly given those who might support Ter-Petrossian being against some of the oligarchs allowed to enrich themselves under Kocharian and Sargsyan, Musinyan again makes it clear that Ter-Petrossian needs their support or at least neutrality. It would seem that the beef LTP has is with Kocharian and Serge.

   It is implied that Dodi Gago, Lfik Samo, Nemetz Rubo and all the rest of them would be untouched. Interestingly, Musinyan and Ter-Petrossian instead want to suggest that they will be worse off under Sargsyan (playing the card of brother Sashik in terms of a threat to oligarchal power, I suppose).

   Reflecting on Ter-Petrosyan’s declaration, that Gagik Tsarukyan will become “homeless”, Arman Musinyan noted: “Ter-Petrosyan announced in Charentsavan that in case the current authorities continue functioning, Gagik Tsarukyan, Samvel Aleksanyan, Ruben Hayrapetyan and many others will become homeless. I wonder why some candidates distort Ter-Petrosyan’s declaration and say that Ter-Petrosyan will make them homeless”.

   Musinyan also confirms that Ter-Petrossian did not make it to an arranged meeting in Chambarak. Some pro-government reports suggest that those living near the border with Azerbaijan made it clear he was not welcome there. However, another report says Ter-Petrossian’s team called it off because of time restrictions or the weather or something.

   Anyway, long and the short of it is that mixed messages and contradictory reports continue to be disseminated. Moreover, one can’t help but think the underlying message of Ter-Petrossian’s team is that nothing is going to change because actually to come to power they need people will be ruled under pretty much the same system, but by someone from Armenia (well, actually Syria) and not Karabakh.

   Well, some things might change, I suppose. Those that don’t play ball will lose their positions, and those that had them under Ter-Petrossian will take them back. A sad situation for Armenia. A lose-lose situation, perhaps? On the other hand, if someone such as Raffi Hovannisian and Heritage get on board then at least we can consider something could be different.

   One supposes that Raffi Hovannisian and Heritage will not support Ter-Petrossian just to get rid of Serge Sargsyan, but that they would support him only if they truly believe the situation can change for the better in Armenia as a result and according to some clearly defined criteria.

   Personally speaking, I’m waiting for their decision and I think it will also have an impact on Ter-Petrossian’s chances too. Given his track record and the need to appeal to a more educated and aspiring or should-be middle class segment of society who are still undecided, it’s the backing he sorely needs. It is just my personal opinion, but Hovannisian and Heritage’s support would be something like a moral and though-out endorsement.

   In the minds of some confused and concerned voters, I think it would give Ter-Petrossian the moral high ground that he lacks with many people I speak to. And actually, I still believe it doesn’t matter who leads a united opposition from the candidates on offer as long as it has broad-based support. The main unanswered question is actually which of those candidates stands more of a chance of achieving that.

   We should know more by the weekend.
2. Onnik 02.05.08 / 9pm

   And just to illustrate how nothing is clear in Armenia, here’s the take from ArmeniaNow.

   “Levon Ter-Petrosyan stated several times that there are serious grounds for the opposition to unite. Neither our team nor the teams of Raffi Hovannisian and Artur Baghdasaryan have concealed that active negotiations over consolidation are currently underway; the process will reach its logical outcome a bit sooner or a bit later,” Arman Mosinyan said at the Hayatsk club.

   Mosinyan, however, did not specify whether Ter-Petrosyan could be a joining party. “Our candidate has always stated that the opposition must appear with a single candidate,” he said, without excluding anything. […]

   Commenting on the Monday statement by opposition Heritage party leader Raffi Hovannisian (also disqualified for failing to meet a 10-year citizenship requirement) that “no one has grounds to have such speculation”, Mosinyan said: “The relations within the opposition are a normal political process.”

   At his Sunday public rally, presidential candidate Artur Baghdasaryan, of the opposition Orinats Yerkir party, stated that “it is not important who will join whom, consolidation is what is important.” The candidate confirmed that they were currently in active political talks.

   Urging forces “concerned with the fate of the homeland” to unite, Baghdasaryan said: “It will be an honor for any politician to join us.” The statement was followed by “Levon, Join!” chants from supporters.

   The deadline for candidates to formally pull out of the race is set on February 9 – the day on which Ter-Petrosyan plans a public rally in Yerevan’s Liberty Square.

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