Armenia’s Opposition Prefers Peaceful Solution to its Conflict with Ruling Authorities

The message of the entire nation is going to be very simple: any violence will receive a tenfold counterblow from the people, said Armenian National Congress (HAK) coordinator Levon Zurabyan, speaking to journalists in Yerevan today about the opposition group’s upcoming rally on Mar. 1.

The opposition has begun a series of rallies the aim of which, according to Zurabyan, is to impose “early elections of the autocratic regime and fulfill the movement’s other demands.” According to the HAK representative, March and early April will be the ruling authorities’ last chance.

Zurabyan also touched upon HAK leader Levon Ter-Petrossian’s meeting yesterday with EU Special Representative for the South Caucasus Peter Semneby.

“Levon Ter-Petrossian said that any autocratic regime is itself a conflict and I agree with that,” said Zurabyan, adding that this is a conflict between the administration and the people, and “as with any conflict, it is fraught with explosions and unpredictable consequences.”

Zurabyan also stressed that if the conflict between the ruling parties and the opposition is not resolved for a long time through peaceful talks, it’s resolved through war. “It seems that everyone in the international community now realizes that such a conflict that the autocratic regime represents in essence is a problem not only for the people, but also for international security.”

In his words, on the day of the rally there will be an opportunity to start solving the conflict. “We prefer that it be through peaceful negotiations.”

Speaking about the events of Mar. 1, 2008, when police violently dispersed peaceful protestors following disputed presidential elections, resulting in 10 dead and many more wounded, Zurabyan emphasized that HAK did that which it should have done, to return power to the people, but the world, according to him, was sleeping at the time. The HAK coordinator, however, believes that they have succeeded.

“Our movement steadily continues its work and we will achieve success, whatever they bring upon us,” he concluded.