Comments on: Sargsyan Campaigning, Hovannisian Absent, Ter-Petrossian Tight Lipped

By: Apathy Rules

Apathy Rules — Wed, 20 Feb 2008 18:45:46 +0000

To Michael Lalpin: If you’re an ethnic Armenian from Armenia, you should know that “geghci” bears much broader notion than the one narrowly singled out by you, i.e. one being from the same village.
In fact, “geghci” refers to ATTITUDES of a person, and not to his or her geography or origin. It is exactly this notion that I’ve used when describing Armenia’s current ruling elite. I am not belittling them: it would do credit to them to be belittled by a decent, well-educated, and open-minded representative of intelligentsia like me.
These self-centered, provincial-minded and inherently corrupt “geghcis” now headed by Serzhik are belittled by their own ATTITUDES towards the needs of their own people: negligence, snobbism, self-enrichment, amorality, etc.
Why should such people be praised and not belittled by impoverished, disfranchised and disgruntled population? Have you ever given it a thought at all?

By: Michael Lalpin

Michael Lalpin — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 01:08:33 +0000

Is it our natioal pass time belitteling one another?
When will Armenians drop …tsi from an Armenian not from the same village!

By: Apathy Rules!

Apathy Rules! — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 20:19:48 +0000

“Congratulations”, o Beloved peolpe of Armenia! Another 10 years of rule by provincial, narrow-minded, and self-centered Gharabakhi president who will install himself on February 19, 2008. Geghcineri tiroj mer@. . .

By: Armenia Election Monitor 2008 » Blog Archive » Levon Ter-Petrossian Russian Visit Misinformation

Wed, 13 Feb 2008 12:03:55 +0000

[…] reports in the Armenian and Russian media stating that presidential candidate Levon Ter-Petrossian met with the deputy prime minister and possibly president of Russia on a Monday visit, various sources such as ArmInfo and Panorama […]

By: Onnik

Onnik — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 07:41:19 +0000

Another take comes from Archuk’s Blog which says that perhaps there is support for Ter-Petrossian from both Washington and Moscow.

By: Onnik

Onnik — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 22:11:38 +0000

Artmika at Unzipped has this to say on Ter-Petrossian’s visit:

In this case too, RFE/RL’s Armenian version proved to be much more interesting in terms of info provided. I would particularly recommend brief interview with a political commentator of Russia’s Public TV Mikhail Leontiev, who interviewed Ter-Petrosyan in Moscow. Leontiev is very knowledgeable person, close to Kremlin circles. Basically, what he is saying is that the main purpose of Levon’s visit to Moscow was to reassure Kremlin that what is happening now in Armenia is purely connected with internal matters and has nothing to do with changing foreign policy orientations.

As far as I could get from what Leontiev said, Ter-Petrosyan was successful in his reassurances and Moscow, in turn, re-assured Ter-Petrosyan that they will stay neutral.

As usual, everything connected with Russia reminds me detective story

Anyway, not sure I believe that Ter-Petrossian isn’t going to change Armenia’s foreign policy objectives, but anyway.

By: Onnik

Onnik — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 21:35:41 +0000

Paul, the Electoral Code says this:

CHAPTER 18

CONDUCTING PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS

Article 88. The Timeframe for Presidential Elections

1. Presidential elections shall be held fifty days before the end of the President’s term.

[…]

Meanwhile, although we don’t know what was spoken about in Moscow, the Jamestown Foundation has this.

[…] Ter-Petrosian made it clear that he believes that the Russian-Armenian relationship has ceased to be one of two equal allies since his resignation in 1998, implying that his country will be less subservient to its former Soviet master if he returns to power. The Russians will also hardly like the former president’s enduring belief that the best guarantee of Armenia’s national security is “normal” relations with all neighboring states, rather than a military alliance with Russia or any other foreign power.

Furthermore, Ter-Petrosian reportedly (and unexpectedly) left for Moscow on February 11 and was rumored to have met Medvedev. Such a meeting, if it really took place, could have far-reaching consequences for the Armenian election results.

But as things stand now, the Kremlin is not lending the Armenian prime minister the kind of vocal support which Ukraine’s Viktor Yanukovych enjoyed before and during the 2004 Orange Revolution. In the end, Yanukovych’s aggressive promotion by Putin proved fruitless and further complicated Russian-Ukrainian ties.

Still, I’m not sure that Ter-Petrossian’s foreign policy orientation will be received well in Moscow, but anyway. Probably that was spoken about too if the meeting took place. Maybe we’ll know more in the near future.

By: Paul

Paul — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 20:25:45 +0000

Thank you for your continuing and laudable reporting on the latest.
One question, I can’t seem to find anywhere when Kocharian’s term actually ends. When will the new president be sworn in?