“Azg” looks at “political consequences” of the nomination of Levon Ter-Petrosian’s presidential candidacy. “A people who saw the inhuman life style of Ter-Petrosian’s rule, a people who also saw the injustice of Robert Kocharian’s rule are now facing a dilemma which can only cause alarm,” writes the paper. “It is awful to hear mutual recriminations between the former and current rulers which only torment the ordinary citizen … into thinking that he has, in essence, to choose between these two camps.”
According to “Aravot,” the Armenian authorities are interested in seeing as many opposition candidates run for president as possible. The paper says those opposition who stand no chance of winning the presidential vote but will still decide to enter the fray will be playing into the regime’s hands.
“Hayots Ashkhar” seeks to disprove Ter-Petrosian’s statements on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, saying that his gloomy forecasts made in 1997-1998 have proved to be false. “Because over the past ten years Ter-Petrosian’s calculations and forecasts have fortunately not become a reality, it is obvious that his current political bid becomes unsubstantiated, turning into a primitively opportunistic desire to return to power,” says the paper.
“Haykakan Zhamanak” reports that following Ter-Petrosian’s Friday rally Kocharian held a confidential “meeting of the ruling elite attended by those who are responsible for almost all echelons of power and will participate, in one way or another, in Serzh Sarkisian’s election campaign.” The paper says participants of the meeting “discussed Levon Ter-Petrosian’s growing influence on political processes.” “With that in mind, a proposal was made to hold pre-term presidential elections,” it says. “However, participants arrived at the conclusion that this option is too risky.”
Another pro-Ter-Petrosian paper, “Taregir,” says “fraudulent” opinion polls released by pro-government pollsters have a zero influence on public opinion because “everyone knows that those numbers are painted with the same logic which is behind the falsification of election results.” The paper says campaign rallies will be the most objective indicator of presidential candidates’ popularity.
(Atom Markarian)
According to “Aravot,” the Armenian authorities are interested in seeing as many opposition candidates run for president as possible. The paper says those opposition who stand no chance of winning the presidential vote but will still decide to enter the fray will be playing into the regime’s hands.
“Hayots Ashkhar” seeks to disprove Ter-Petrosian’s statements on the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, saying that his gloomy forecasts made in 1997-1998 have proved to be false. “Because over the past ten years Ter-Petrosian’s calculations and forecasts have fortunately not become a reality, it is obvious that his current political bid becomes unsubstantiated, turning into a primitively opportunistic desire to return to power,” says the paper.
“Haykakan Zhamanak” reports that following Ter-Petrosian’s Friday rally Kocharian held a confidential “meeting of the ruling elite attended by those who are responsible for almost all echelons of power and will participate, in one way or another, in Serzh Sarkisian’s election campaign.” The paper says participants of the meeting “discussed Levon Ter-Petrosian’s growing influence on political processes.” “With that in mind, a proposal was made to hold pre-term presidential elections,” it says. “However, participants arrived at the conclusion that this option is too risky.”
Another pro-Ter-Petrosian paper, “Taregir,” says “fraudulent” opinion polls released by pro-government pollsters have a zero influence on public opinion because “everyone knows that those numbers are painted with the same logic which is behind the falsification of election results.” The paper says campaign rallies will be the most objective indicator of presidential candidates’ popularity.
(Atom Markarian)