It turns out the RPA is always ready

According to the press secretary of the RPA, the government was ready for the dialogue as early as three years ago

  Yesterday the ANC leader and first president of the RA Levon Ter-Petrossian at the rally of the Armenian National Congress in the Freedom Square stated that since the Congress demands were fulfilled, the ANC is ready “for the formal, i.e. on the level of delegations, dialogue with the government. In the forthcoming days, we will decide the members of the delegation that will be composed of 3-5 people, and we will present our agenda of the dialogue to the government. Naturally, the government has to do the same thing both form the delegation and present its own agenda. The agenda of the Congress is known – holding pre-term presidential and parliamentary elections. However, it does not mean, that we do not have to consider the agenda and counter-proposals of the government either, if not, the right of equality of the sides will be violated”, stated L. Ter-Petrossian.

From this moment on the Congress is ready for the dialogue and the next step is basically up to the government. Is the government ready to have a dialogue with the Congress on the main subjects for the ANC, pre-term presidential and parliamentary elections? The RPA press secretary Edward Sharmazanov responding to “Aravot’s” question stated, “The government is not ready for the dialogue just now, but has been ready for that for three years and the government is the initiator of the dialogue, and not our colleagues from the ANC. The government is ready for a dialogue with any political force, including the Congress and for discussing any problem important for Armenia through a dialogue. No exception was made in that principle of ours from the beginning.” As to having dialogue on the demand of pre-term elections itself, the RPA press secretary is still convinced that there are neither political, nor legal grounds for holding pre-term elections in our country, “I completely rule out holding a pre-term presidential election, and I do not see any grounds concerning the NA election either.”

This principle of the government is already known, nevertheless, are the possible negotiations, discussions even just for convincing one another on that demand ruled out? “As to the negotiations, meetings and discussions, then the government led by the president has adopted for three years already a working style of constructive discussions and dialogue with different political forces on the important interior and exterior issues of Armenia, because we have always believed that we can reach a stable, gradual development in our country only through public and open dialogue. And there is no issue of holding a pre-term election on the RPA agenda”, claimed Sharmazanov thinking that it is a quite satisfying answer. 

The ANC leader also stated yesterday that he would not neglect the other 15 demands on March 1 either during the dialogue with the government, that concern the social sphere, small and mid-sized businesses, agricultural, legal, corruption issues and those that from this moment on must generally be the focus of the attention of the ANC along with the dialogue process. “President Sargsyan spoke of those other issues saying that only the government that is ready to listen to the opposition demands and criticism is the strong government and certainly the healthy criticism of the opposition, as well as the members of the civil society helps the government to be more vigilant and look at the drawbacks that exist in our country more clearly from an outsider’s viewpoint. We have never said that we know everything and do not need anyone’s criticism. S. Sargsyan’s government, the RPA is the force that proved that it is ready not only to speak and act, but also listen to the thoughts of the others, and has proved publicly that it is an advocate of public dialogue and open policy”, stated E. Sharmazanov.

We also asked the RPA press secretary about the possibility of forming a delegation by the government for having a dialogue, negotiating with the ANC, as well as about the potential negotiators of the delegation. However, E. Sharmazanov neglected our question.