ON EVE OF PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS IN ARMENIA OPPOSITION SHOULD UNITE AROUND UNITED PROGRAM

YEREVAN, September 4. /ARKA/. In the issue of nominating a united candidate from the opposition for the presidential elections in Armenia, not the individual but the program of unification of the party is important, said Leader of the National-Democratic Party (NDP) of Armenia Shavarsh Kocharyan.

“In case if ambitions predominate on Armenia’s oppositional field, it will lead to nothing good,” he said.

According to him, the oppositional forces have a very short period of time for the unification around a united program.

“In the united program of the oppositional parties there should be provisions clearly defining the global objectives of the future president and the ways and mechanisms that he will use to achieve them in the conditions of the acting Constitution,” he said.

Kocharyan added that the NDP is ready to participate on the process of uniting oppositional parties on the eve of elections in case if similar cooperation will be productive.

In his turn, Armenia’s ex-Premier Hrant Bagratyan said that the oppositional parties are small and the experience of parliamentary elections showed that they cannot unite.

“It is necessary to conduct “rating” public elections among the oppositional parties that will demonstrate in the most objective way who the public prefer,” he said.

Bagratyan thinks that a united candidate can be nominated on the basis of people's trust due to the ideas and programs that he is adherent.

The presidential elections in Armenia are scheduled for the first half of 2008. The following presidential candidates will run for president: Leader of the Republican Party of Armenia Prime Minister Serge Sargsyan, Leader of “Orinats Yerkir” Party Artur Bagdasaryan, Leader of the National-Democratic Union Vazgen Manukyan, Leader of the “New Times” Party Aram Karapetyan, Leader of the Marxist Party of Armenia David Hakobyan, and Leader of the People’s Party Tigran Karapetyan. L.M. –0--