www.aravot.am inquired from Myasnik Malkhasyan, an Armenian National Congress (ANC) member and a former prisoner of conscience, whether he shared his friend, also prisoner of conscience, already former member of the ANC Ashot Zakaryan’s concerns about the cooperation between the PAP and the ANC. As we have informed, Ashot Zakryan, the coordinator of the ANC Gyumri office, explained his decision of leaving the ANC by the fact that the PAP was equally as responsible for the difficult situation in the country and its misfortunes as the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) and he didn’t want to contribute to Robert Kocharyan’s return.
Myasnik Malkhasyan assured that concerns in that regard were groundless, since the ANC had cooperated with the PAP only on holding a pure election, moreover, Mr. Malkhasyan doubted whether it could be called cooperation or not. In response to our question whether the ANC had nothing to do with the PAP anymore, since the election was over already, Mr. Malkhasyan said, “I don’t know now what developments there will be, we must wait and see. However, the ANC has expressed its opinion on the PAP to cooperate with all those in Armenia who were ready to hold a fair election.” We asked for clarification whether he believed that the PAP had an honest position on conducting a fair election, whether he didn’t believe that he PAP had also participated in handing out election bribe, he responded, “There is no issue of believing or not believing, we are ready to unite with every force, everyone who is ready to contribute to holding a fair election, it doesn’t mean that we should cooperate in every area. They will be criticized when they are unfair and perhaps we will cooperate when they are fair and really honest in making Armenia a free, fair and democratic country, there is no denying.” In response to our question whether he didn’t notice controversies, since PAP leader Gagik Tsarukyan had promised to endorse Serzh Sargsyan in the presidential election and the ANC wanted to topple down the regime established by Serzh Sargsyan, Myasnik Malkhasyan said, “We talk about different things. The ANC is related to the PAP and the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF) insofar as they cooperated in the joint staff on holding a free and fair election.”
Hripsime JEBEJYAN
