OPEN DISCUSSION BEHIND CLOSED DOORS

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Serzh Sargsyan met with political party leaders at the Karen Demirchyan sport/concert complex behind closed doors in order to avoid populism and hold an open meeting. In the beginning of the four-hour long meeting, Serzh Sargsyan congratulated the political party leaders on the occasion of the victory of the chess players and informed that the discussions with political parties on issues of social concern will take place on a regular basis.

Almost all of the political parties were participating in the meeting, except the radical opposition parties, that is, the parties representing the Armenian National Congress. However, leader of the Marxist Party David Hakobyan was present.

Artur Baghdasaryan and Armen Rustamyan represented the coalition. Gagik Tsarukyan wasn’t there because he is currently out of the country. Among participants were the three national democracy supporters Vazgen Manukyan, Shavarsh Kocharyan and Arshak Sadoyan. Harutyun Arakelyan represented the Armenian Ramkavar Liberal Party. Other participants included Paruyr Hayrikyan, Khosrov Harutyunyan, Aram G. Sargsyan, Hayk Babukhanyan, Communists Ruben Tovmasyan and Yuri Manukyan, as well as leader of the National Security party Garnik Isagulyan and others.

The only women political figures were member of the “Heritage” political party Anahit Bakhshyan and heads of two women’s organizations. Journalists couldn’t recognize many of the faces. For example, they didn’t understand what party Ernest Soghomonyan represented. The latter is a member of the “Prosperous Armenia” party faction. He is also leader of the Hnchakyan party, but hasn’t represented himself as leader of that party for a long time.

From the start, Serzh Sargsyan announced that political parties shouldn’t make references to the opinions expressed during the meeting because what is discussed must stay confidential. Thus, ten minutes after the start of the meeting journalists were asked to leave and waited four hours for the political party members. When they came out for breaks, they just told us where they stand on the Karabakh conflict and not a word about the discussion. But we were able to find out that all invited parties had only presented their stance and in the end Serzh Sargsyan would touch upon the issues raised. We will present the stances of the parties later.