‘FulFilling Our Demands in Part is Not Acceptable for Us’: Zurabyan

Levon Zurabyan, the coordinator for the Armenian National Congress (HAK) central office, spoke with local daily Chorrord Inqnishkhanutyun (“Fourth Self-Authority”) about the opposition group’s next steps.

Mr. Zurabyan, you’ve already noted that with his statement on an inquiry into the events of March 1, [Armenian President] Serzh Sargsyan has fulfilled one of the opposition’s three demands. If until the Apr. 28 rally, Sargsyan fulfills the three demands [releasing political prisoners, allowing the opposition to rally in Liberty Square and official assurance on uncovering the killings of March 1] proposed by the opposition in part, can that change anything in this issue, or what might happen at the Apr. 28 rally?

Fulfilling our demands in part is not acceptable for us. The three priority demands are separated from the 15 demands for this reason; they comprise a single package, which must be met in full.

And if Serzh Sargsyan meets all these three demands, what will that change then?

It means that the 28th will become the beginning phase of dialogue, as [HAK leader] Levon Ter-Petrossian noted in his speech. In such a case we will have very specific achievements, which will only encourage the people and the public.

According to you, was Serzh Sargsyan forced to make this move to speak about uncovering the March 1 [unrest] or did he do so consciously?

For three years, the regime didn’t make this move. That means for three years they adopted the “no concessions to the movement” policy. That is to say, they didn’t even want to give a small victory to the movement, so the movement not getting anything, will be quenched, that the people will be disappointed, seeing the meaninglessness in the struggle. For three years, they continued this struggle, and now they got an even stronger movement. That is the reason that the regime has changed its behavior. Today it understands that without concessions, it can’t control the political confrontation that exists in Armenia. It’s only with the participation of these hundred thousand people that there are meetings, that the regime has been obliged to make concessions.

How likely do you consider that one of the organizers or those responsible for March 1 will come forward and uncover March 1?

We too know that the full truth will be revealed only after a change of government. But this assurance is important because with this, the regime stands back from its previous claims, that the March 1 page is closed. The regime accepts that there are killings not yet uncovered in which those responsible have to be punished. This in and of itself is already an important statement.

Regardless of how many demands Serzh Sargsyan will fulfill, will the demand for snap presidential elections and his resignation remain on the agenda?

And what has been cause or grounds for doubting that we are rejecting any of our demands? I just spoke of the 15 demands being fulfilled. What we’re talking about here is that after these demands are fulfilled, we will begin dialogue on snap elections.