HAK rep.: “Keep those 20 mandates for yourself”
Republican Party MP Rafik Petrosyan says the Kazan-hosted trilateral meeting of Armenian, Russian and Azerbaijani Presidents cannot be considered a complete failure.
"There was no breakthrough during the meeting but we need not make a tragedy of it as the Presidents reiterated that the talks will be continuing," Petrosyan told a press conference on June 27.
The major achievement is that the international community came to realize that it is time Karabakh became a full part of the negotiations.
Member of the opposition Armenian National Congress (HAK) Gurgen Yeghiazaryan says the Kazan meeting will be followed by another one where the sides will sign a document on the conflict settlement.
"The trilateral meeting in Kazan temporarily postponed Karabakh conflict settlement, without bringing any benefit to us. Let us wait for the next meeting," he said.
At the same time the HAK representative noted that few are informed of the negotiation process.
Speaking about internal issues and the dialogue between the authorities and HAK, Yeghiazaryan stressed that HAK had done its utmost to exclude the influence of internal issues on the country.
"We have no right to endanger the state, however, without snap elections, the situation becomes increasingly worse," he said adding that Armenia cannot resist foreign challenges unless the country has legitimate authorities.
Rafik Petrosyan urged the opposition to prepare for next regular elections. He predicts that HAK will get 15-20 mandates in the 2012 parliamentary elections.
Yeghiazaryan advised his Republican opponent to "keep the mandates for the Republicans."
"Next regular elections imply new rigged elections. But this time we shall not allow election fraud," he said.
