DOES “A1+” KNOW MORE THAN ARF
Support A1+!TER-PETROSYAN WILL NOT DISTURB ARF MUCH
“We will not bother much if Ter-Petrosyan runs for presidency”, said Artashes Shahbazyan, secretary of the “Armenian Revolutionary Federation – Dashnaktsutyun” about the 2008 presidential elections. Although the candidature of Ter-Petrosyan will not disturb the party, Mr Shahbazyan hopes that Ter-Petrosyan will not be nominated for presidential election. “Ter-Petrosyan has the status of everlasting X president. In case he runs for presidency he will always be an everlasting loser”. In Shahbazyan’s opinion, interests of Ter-Patrosyan and the “Armenian Pan-National Movement” party may contradict each other today. “The “Armenian Pan-National Movement” party is not actively engaged in politics today and if goes on like this, who knows what will remain of the party in 5 years”.
If the interests of Ter-Petrosyan and the “Armenian Pan-National Movement” party coincide and Ter-Petrosyan puts forward his candidacy, will the ARF change its strategy? To the question of A1+ Artashes Shahbazyan answered: “Let him be nominated. Ter-Petrosyan cannot be a rival to the ARF”.
The “Armenian Revolutionary Federation – Dashnaktsutyun” is going to compete with the candidate of the “Armenian Republican Party” Serge Sargsyan and defeat him. “Only those who have more chances should run for presidency in 2008. If the “Armenian Republican Party” and the “Prosperous Armenia” party are protecting the idea of one united political candidate, the ARF will be their rival, taking into consideration the number of votes gathered during the parliamentary elections and its position in the parliament. The ARF has a program and a team”, said Shahbazyan.
Shahbazyan promised to tell the name of the ARF representative who would defeat Serge Sargsyan later. He only mentioned that the ARF would participate in presidential election with its own candidate and was in the process of choosing the best candidate.
According to Artashes Shahbazyan, the RA President is considering the candidatures of 10 representatives from the ARF, but did not tell their names. He only agreed to confirm or deny the names enumerated by A1+.
Thus, the ARF is circulating the names of Vahan Hovhannisyan, Armen Rustamyan, Hrant Margaryan and other members of Dashnaktsutyun. The ARF considers that its main rival during the presidential election will be Serge Sargsyan.
As confirmed Artashes Shahbazyan, the ARF had presented its proposals to ARP from the very beginning. He did not exclude that after 2008 elections the ARF could be the part of the Government. Would not it be logical of the ARF protected the candidate of the coalition, or may be the fact that Serge Sargsyan once halted the activities of the ARF does not allow the party to protect Serge Sargsyan's candidature? To the question of A1+ the representative of the “Armenian Revolutionary Federation – Dashnaktsutyun” Artashes Shahbazyan responded: “May be you know more than I do?”
