A prominent opposition politician scoffed at mounting tensions between President Serzh Sarkisian and his predecessor President Robert Kocharian on Friday, saying that they have no bearing on the lives of ordinary people.
“Both sides speak of the country’s future. I believe that none of them has the right to do that,” said Aram Sarkisian, the leader of the Hanrapetutyun (Republic) party that has long been in opposition to both Armenian governments.
“You know, I don’t want to get into that because it has nothing to do with the present and future of the Armenian people,” he told RFE/RL’s Armenian service (Azatutyun.am). “They are wrangling between themselves. The people have not been particularly happy under their rule. Each of them remembers only things that are beneficial to them … Meddling in the dispute between these men is an ungrateful task.”
Sarkisian, who briefly served as prime minister in 1999-2000 before becoming one of Kocharian’s most bitter foes, appeared to agree with suggestions that the ex-president is keen to return to power. But he insisted that Kocharian stands no chance of a successful political comeback because he is now “unacceptable” to both internal and external political actors.
Some commentators have speculated that Kocharian’s immediate target is the post of prime minister, which he had already occupied for a year before becoming Armenia’s president in 1998.
“If Serzh Sarkisian names Robert Kocharian or a Kocharian ally prime minister he will be quickly nullified,” said Aram Sarkisian. The president realizes this and will never take such risk, he added.
“Both sides speak of the country’s future. I believe that none of them has the right to do that,” said Aram Sarkisian, the leader of the Hanrapetutyun (Republic) party that has long been in opposition to both Armenian governments.
“You know, I don’t want to get into that because it has nothing to do with the present and future of the Armenian people,” he told RFE/RL’s Armenian service (Azatutyun.am). “They are wrangling between themselves. The people have not been particularly happy under their rule. Each of them remembers only things that are beneficial to them … Meddling in the dispute between these men is an ungrateful task.”
Sarkisian, who briefly served as prime minister in 1999-2000 before becoming one of Kocharian’s most bitter foes, appeared to agree with suggestions that the ex-president is keen to return to power. But he insisted that Kocharian stands no chance of a successful political comeback because he is now “unacceptable” to both internal and external political actors.
Some commentators have speculated that Kocharian’s immediate target is the post of prime minister, which he had already occupied for a year before becoming Armenia’s president in 1998.
“If Serzh Sarkisian names Robert Kocharian or a Kocharian ally prime minister he will be quickly nullified,” said Aram Sarkisian. The president realizes this and will never take such risk, he added.