ANC spokesman: no agreement on opposition–coalition dialogue yet

 October 1, 2011 - 16:07 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - There is no agreement on continuation of the dialogue between the Armenian National Congress (ANC) and the ruling coalition, an ANC spokesman said.

“The Congress could not contact David Harutyunyan, the head of the coalition’s delegation. However, a member of the Republican Party of Armenia, Gagik Minasyan, promised assistance to settle the matter,” Arman Musinyan told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

During the September 30 rally, Levon Ter-Petrossian announced 7-day-long round-the-clock protest actions. He said the opposition-coalition dialogue will be resumed stating October 1, with Manushak Petrosyan in charge with contacting presidential administration.

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.