December 21, 2006 - 16:58 AMT
West will Try to Have Influence on Process and Outcome of Elections in Armenia
Undoubtedly, the West will try to have influence on the electoral process in Armenia, but much will depend on how long and how will continue Russian-Georgian opposition and what the outcome of it will be, said President of CAR Ara Abramian during an interview to The Novoye Russkoye Slovo. In his words, despite West's indisputable military and economic attraction, Russia has more supporters in Caucasus and especially in Armenia. "It is not accidentally that all the political leaders in Armenia stand for close relations with Russia. It concerns first of all to the first leaders of Armenia, to President Kocharian and Defense Minister Sargsyan, who, by the way, also occupies the post f Co-Chair of intergovernmental Council on economic cooperation between Armenia and Russia," he stressed.

Alongside, he confirmed that he has close and good relations with Republican leadership. "I appreciate Serzh Sargsyan as an effective leader of the Armenian army, as a professional political leader, and I am being imposed some of his business characteristics. But the decision to support any of the parties in the elections, probably we will make in January on the Great Council of CAR, after we examine the political programs of leading parties, their ways to solve the problems," said Abramian.