Armenian expert says West interested in ANC-authorities dialogue

 June 6, 2011 - 15:09 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - The West, specifically the U.S. takes serous efforts to make authorities-ANC political dialogue happen, according to Armenian Political Experts’ Union chairman.

As Hamayak Hovhannisyan told a news conference in Yerevan, the West needs the dialogue for normalization of Armenia-Turkey ties, progress in Karabakh issue and prevention of social riot in Armenia.

To prove his point, Hovhannisyan called the news conference participants’ attention to the fact that June 1 ANC political council session focused on the results of May 31 rally; however, following the meeting of ANC leader and U.S. Ambassador to Armenia on the evening of June 1, an extraordinary session was convened to discuss formation of delegation for future talks with authorities.

From February 20, 2008, the Armenian opposition led by first president Levon Ter-Petrossian, who ran for presidency in 2008, but was not elected, held rallies in the central part of Yerevan, protesting against the election results. The protest actions resulted in unrest and clashes between the police and rally participants on March 1-2. According to the Office of RA Prosecutor General, around 200 people were injured, 10 people were killed, and over 100 people were arrested.

In May 2011, President Serzh Sargsyan offered the National Assembly to declare amnesty on occasion of the 20th anniversary of Armenia’s independence, the proposal being based on article 81.1.1 of the RA Constitution and article 90 of the law on National Assembly regulations. With a vote 91-0, the Armenian parliament approved the proposal for amnesty for 396 people to be released and 379 to have their sentence cut.

During a recent political council session, Armenian National Congress (ANC) named the composition of ANC delegation to negotiate with the authorities. The delegation includes ANC coordinator Levon Zurabyan, representative of the central bureau David Shahnazaryan, a member of ANC economic committee, the head of ANC structure in Malatya Vahagn Khachatryan, People’s Party of Armenia secretary Felix Khachatryan and deputy head of Armenian National Movement Samvel Abrahamyan.