Yesterday Armenian National Congress (ANC) leader Levon Ter-Petrossian criticized during the ANC rally all those who saw “Robert Kocharyan’s ears” behind the PAP. Today www.aravot.am inquired of Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) leader Mkrtich Minasyan whether he saw those “ears” and whether, in his opinion, there was no link between Robert Kocharyan and the PAP anymore. He replied, “He is a politician, he has far-reaching goals, he has chosen that strategy with that kind of tactical means, it is his right. I certainly don’t agree with him – generally I think talking about ears on the political stage is not right. Our country is so small, our political stage is so small that everything is visible. I know that Robert Kocharyan regularly expresses his personal opinion on all political events, which corresponds to the opinion of the PAP or other forces in some cases and doesn’t in the others. He said given which 3 conditions he would return to the political stage, when he felt necessary. That man has said only that so far and I think that we have to be careful toward the institution of presidency whether it is the second president or the first one or the third one. We should not talk about ears-shmears.”
Taking into consideration Levon Ter-Petrossian’s remark that they tried to make the PAP embrace Serzh Sargsyan threatening with Robert Kocharyan, we inquired whom the PAP was embracing more, in his opinion, to which Mkrtich Minasyan responded, “The PAP is a rather big and matured institution, it is the second largest political force represented in the National Assembly and I think that the number and types of politicians represented there has increased, particularly, recently, that component has become bigger. I cannot link the PAP to anyone. Their ideas or principles cannot correspond to a certain person, certain states that show an attitude toward a certain geopolitical area. I see the PAP more in its own camp – i.e. constructive, alternative camp. And I agree with Levon Ter-Petrossian in that sense, it must not necessarily be stated that it is an opposition.” In response to our question whether, however, the PAP’s behavior was oppositional, he said, “In some cases yes, in some cases no.”
As for whom the PAP would indorse in the presidential election, Mkrtich Minasyan said that in any case, they relied on the people and their own strength and not the PAP, “We have cooperated with the PAP, we cooperate on some issues today too.” As for what issues exactly they cooperated on, the RPA MP stated that they had discussed 11 issues during the National Assembly meetings and the PAP had voted against only one issue out of 11, “They were in favor of 10 issues, they cooperated with us, they discussed the issues with us based on common sense and they agreed with us. If they voted against only one issue out of 11, should we say that they don’t cooperate with us at all?”
In response to our question whether there was cooperation between the PAP and the government on the issue of the Minister of Sports, Mkrtich Minasyan said that there was a gesture of goodwill.
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