Rauf Mirgadirov, a political analyst of Zerkalo newspaper, is convinced that President of the Republic of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan employs chess technique in politics.
“Serzh Sargsyan was able to involve Ter-Petrossian in a situation, where he appeared not in his element and turned all his steps into a failure. The main blow at Ter-Petrossian was the loss of the electorate, which was ready to take to the streets. When your electorate realizes that you are ready to cooperate with forces, which you blamed for people’s deaths, it is perceived as a betrayal. After this, the electorate will not take to the streets again,” Rauf Mirgadirov, a political analyst of Zerkalo newspaper, said during a conversation with www.aravot.am.
Assessing the internal political situation in Armenia, the analyst noted that an interesting situation had emerged. In his opinion, if Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) leader Gagik Tsarukyan continues to remain oppositional, big money will not be able to rescue, “Once they become an opposition in countries with such politics as in Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan, they become the government’s enemy and when they become an enemy, they either win or are destroyed.” Mr. Mirgadirov didn’t rule out that in the run-up to the presidential election, the PAP has decided to pretend an opposition, in order to make the government’s electorate bigger at the expense of the opposition’s electorate, “As Artur Baghdasaryan did in 2008… I think that is why Serzh Sargsyan repaid him, it is clear that Artur Baghdasaryan couldn’t win 5 percent. However, I think that Tsarukyan is not that kind of a figure, as opposed to Artur Baghdasaryan, Tsarukyan has bigger aspirations. And if this is Robert Kocharyan’s game, then there will be tough times for Ter-Petrossian… perhaps he will be compelled to endorse Serzh Sargsyan during the election.” In the analyst’s assessment, as opposed to Serzh Sargsyan whom Russian Prime Minister Putin doesn’t fully trust for a set of reasons, Robert Kocharyan is Putin’s friend.
In Mr. Mirgadirov’s words, Russia doesn’t fully trust Serzh Sargsyan because of his pro-Western attitude. According to the analyst, the President of the Republic of Armenia has been and still is pro-Western, “There is an interesting situation, pro-Westerners don’t have any chances. Ter-Petrossian is a serious figure, but is
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not a decisive actor in the presidential election anymore. And Robert Kocharyan is Putin’s friend and this is sort of a label.”VOICE195
The Azeri analyst is in Armenia in the framework of Caucasus 2011 international conference, which started today.
Davit Shahnazaryan, a member of the Armenian National Congress (ANC) who had a private conversation with him, was also present at the meeting.
Arpine SIMONYAN
