Ter-Petrossian “Pressures” Baghdasarian

RFE/RL reports that former president Levon Ter-Petrossian has once again called former parliamentary speaker and rival candidate Artur Baghdasarian to join him before next week’s presidential election in Armenia.

Despite Ter-Petrossian claiming that he has majority support in society as well as the security apparatus, one has to wonder why Baghdasarian’s endorsement is considered so vital for his bid to return to power.

Former President Levon Ter-Petrosian publicly pressed fellow opposition candidate Artur Baghdasarian to back his presidential bid and claimed to have strong support within the state apparatus on Wednesday as he took his election campaign to southeastern Armenia.

[…]

“I’m sure that Artur Baghdasarian will also join us,” Ter-Petrosian told a campaign rally in the Vayots Dzor province. He said that will be part of the ongoing “unification of the entire people” around his candidacy.

Ter-Petrosian sounded less certain on that score and issued a stark warning to Baghdasarian as he proceeded to neighboring Syunik region bordering on Iran. “If [Baghdasarian] stands by the people, he will become an honorable man,” he told voters in the local town of Goris. “If he doesn’t do that, he will leave the political arena.”