There are speculations recently that the cooperation between the ANC and the PAP will eventually lead to these two political forces’ having a joint candidate represented by Robert Kocharyan. Today www.aravot.am asked PAP MP Mikayel Melkumyan to clarify whether he ruled out that Robert Kocharyan would be the joint candidate of the ANC and the PAP. He replied, “Frankly speaking, there haven’t been discussions yet. Generally, one cannot rule out anything, but there has been no discussion, no decision yet. Therefore, once there is, you will know. However, I don’t rule out any option.” In response to our question whether one could say in this case that there was no smoke without fire, so there was such an option, Mr. Melkumyan said, “No, you know what, there can be different versions, the grounds for which do not presently exist. There are versions, which may be possible to different extents.”
We asked him to comment also on Robert Kocharyan’s rather tough answer to Ruben Hayrapetyan, which was perceived in different circles as a sign of war between the Republican Party of Armenia (RPA) and the PAP. Mr. Melkumyan explained, “I wouldn’t connect those things in any way. Do you have to consider any statement made by Kocharyan in the PAP-RPA context? I don’t see any such connection.” We asked to clarify whether he didn’t see any connection between the PAP and Robert Kocharyan either, he replied, “No, I don’t see. I don’t want to comment on any politician’s opinion. You may apply to his office to get an answer.”
Galust Sahakyan, the leader of the RPA parliamentary group, considers Robert Kocharyan’s answer as personal, not political. In response to our question whether he also considered it as personal, Mr. Melkumyan said, “I followed those developments, but I don’t see any connection with what you have said.”
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