Armenian MP: political dialogue will resume in near future

PanARMENIAN.Net - Member of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia, MP Gagik Melikyan supposes that the political dialogue with the opposition will resume in the near future.

“I can’t announce an exact date but I think it will happen within several days,” Melikyan told journalists in Yerevan on September 14. “Talks will resume when the Armenian National Congress comprehends the incapacity of its offers. The ANC did not have any serious reason to suspend the dialogue while Tigran Sargsyan’s detainment was just an occasion.”

“The dialogue started with the balanced policy pursued by President Serzh Sargsyan and there is hope that the ANC will display a similar attitude,” he said, expressing doubt over ANC’s claim to gather 500 thousand people during the next rally.

Representatives of the ruling coalition have held meetings since July 18, the two main issues on the agenda being conduction of extraordinary election (on ANC demand) and development of canons of political competition (as suggested by the authorities).

Problems emerged when police detained 7 young ANC activists. According to the ANC, on August 9 police officers used violence against ANC activists Tigran Arakelyan and Artak Karapetyan. Upon arrival to the site, activists Areg Gevorgyan, Sahak Muradyan, Vahagn Gevorgyan, Sargis Gevorgyan and David Kirimajyan tried to settle the dispute but were beaten as well, the ANC said. All above-mentioned were taken to a police station.

Currently, Tigran Arakelyan is kept in custody. The others were released.

On August 26, the Congress announced that it suspends the dialogue and believes Arakelyan to be a political prisoner.