Sarkisian Agrees to Discuss Hovannisian’s Proposal

YEREVAN (A.W.)—In a letter addressed to Barevolution leader Raffi Hovannisian, President Serge Sarkisian advised him to put an end to the hunger strike and discuss, “without shows,” the “very raw” text Hovannisian had proposed.

Serge Sarkisian
Serge Sarkisian

Hovannisian’s text “will help in starting constructive dialogue,” said Sarkisian. “I am happy that you have expressed readiness to take oversight responsibilities worthy of a strong opposition, and in that issue it seems that we hold similar views. I am confident that if we start working together, with the same goal in mind, we can achieve results.”

Sarkisian concluded, “I advise you to stop your hunger strike, rest, and recover for a couple of days, and we, paper and pen in hand, can start working—without shows—working seriously, accepting as basis the text—albeit very raw—that you yourself proposed.”

4 Comments

  1. This is a welcome development and a step in the right direction.
    Hopefully the two leaders will enter into negotiation with a spirit of give and take in order to achieve tangible results in the interest of the public.
    I will hold my breath to see if our leaders have really become mature.

  2. Both the title and the text give the wrong impression. Those who can read Armenian can see that there is no discussion of “power sharing”: letter specifically notes that it is Unconstitutional. The discussion, if any, would be limited to oversight activities.

    It is a well written letter, except for the ridiculous word շոուների that has infected the vocabulary of large numbers of Armenia’s population.
    (President’s office needs better English translators for the official texts)

    I think this a brilliant move on President Sargsyan’s part: obviously he doesn’t want Mr. Hovannisian to die of hunger on his watch and become a martyr. He looks presidential, one who rises above petty politics and puts the interests of the Nation first.
    He does not look weak, because Mr. Hovannisian made one concession step prior to this by accepting that Pres Sargsyan is ‘de facto’ president (but still deliberately avoiding congratulating him).
    This may diffuse the situation, so that everybody can work on important issues affecting the Nation.
    I say ‘may’ not ‘will’, because Mr. Hovannisian is quite unpredictable: nobody outside of him knows what he will do next.
    If RH agrees to participate in an advisory/oversight role, he can inject at least some of his ideas into the System. Win-win.

    btw: both mistranslated Հարգելի՛; the closest to it is ‘Honorable’ (or closer still ‘Respected’, but can’t start a letter saying Respected so and so)

    ——
    [News.am]
    {“Dear Mr. Hovannisian: Even though the written material addressed to me is far from the proper understandings on the formation of a state and state authorities and it runs counter to the working constitutional regulations, it may help start a productive discourse. “I am happy that you also are ready to assume serious oversight functions, and our views on this matter seem to be quite close. If we begin to work purposefully together, [and] based on common understandings, I am confident that we will achieve results. “I urge you to please end your hunger strike, recover for one or two days, and together we may begin serious work, even based on your proposed—at this time, though, very raw—statement,” the President specifically responded.}
    ——
    [President.am]

    Distinguished Mr. Hovhannissian,
    I thank you for finally accepting my proposal made during our meeting, for putting your ideas on the paper and passing them on. However remote the written matter addressed to me from the appropriate notions of the state and state authority formation is and in contradiction with the stipulations of the Constitution currently in force, it is nonetheless can be helpful in commencing an efficient dialogue. I am glad that you also possess readiness to assume serious monitoring functions which befits strong opposition, and it looks like on that issue our positions are quite close. I am confident that if we start working together purposefully, based on the community of opinions, we will definitely get results.
    I urge you, please stop the hunger strike, recuperate for a day or two and we will start working seriously together, committing our ideas to paper, quietly, without shows, even taking as a point of departure your – at the moment very incondite – account.
    Regards,
    SERZH SARGSYAN

    Հարգելի՛ պարոն Հովհաննիսյան,
    Շնորհակալ եմ մեր հանդիպման ժամանակ արված իմ առաջարկությունը վերջապես ընդունելու և Ձեր մտքերը թղթին հանձնելու ու փոխանցելու համար: Որքան էլ ինձ հասցեագրված գրավոր նյութը հեռու է պետության և պետական իշխանության ձևավորման վերաբերյալ պատշաճ պատկերացումներից և ուղղակիորեն հակասում է գործող սահմանադրական կարգավորումներին, այն, այդուհանդերձ, կարող է օգնել արդյունավետ երկխոսություն սկսելու համար: Ինձ ուրախացնում է, որ Դուք ունեք նաև ուժեղ ընդդիմությանը հարիր լուրջ վերահսկողական գործառույթների ստանձնման պատրաստակամություն, և այդ հարցում մեր կարծիքները կարծես բավականաչափ մոտ են: Ես վստահ եմ, որ եթե մենք սկսենք միասին նպատակադրված աշխատել, հիմնվելով պատկերացումների ընդհանրությունների վրա, հաստատապես արդյունքի կհասնենք:
    Իմ հորդորն է Ձեզ՝ դադարեցրեք խնդրում եմ հացադուլը, մեկ-երկու օր կազդուրվեք և մենք միասին, թուղթ ու գրիչով, հանգիստ, առանց շոուների սկսենք աշխատել, լուրջ աշխատել՝ անգամ հիմք ընդունելով հենց Ձեր կողմից առաջարկված, այս պահին թեկուզև շատ հում, շարադրանքը:
    Հարգանքով՝
    ՍԵՐԺ ՍԱՐԳՍՅԱՆ

  3. This is a welcome development and a step to the right direction.
    Hopefully the two leaders will enter into power sharing negotiation with a spirit of give and take in the interest of the public.
    I will in the meantime hold my breath and wait to see if our leaders have really become mature.

  4. I appreciate the trouble Avery has gone to ,in order to shed more light on the correspondence carried on between pres. SS and RH.I see you make a few distictions in mal-practiced translations in his office. Office where i have been to and his chief of staff-I am not sure if he has passed on my PLEAS to S.Sargsyan. This ,in the interim.for I too have tried to make suggestions….
    My view, is that power sharing so to say,is not the issue in this case.It is RH trying very hard to have New Elections, not for pres. but also for Parliament.As well as have people´s voice heard from now on.By going and promising -like has been the case- so far in the Provicnes by 8as a matter of fact) both of them ,not so fruitful.In order to have New members of Parliament who are ELECTED FOR THEIR MERITS, not by moneys or connections, is a MUST,to begin with!!!
    When that is achieved, then same,i.e. a Newly formed parliament , that is also void of being so and so´s sone or son in law-daughter etc., then we shall have come one step FWD.
    After that only the New Elections ought to be considerd for presidency.
    This also must be on the basis of UNITING CRITERIA necessary for such a post and ………………..if not power sharing but have an(equipo) A Group of seasoned politicians and/or those that have served in the recent 3 Gov.ts there also ,PLUDS people from all of our Traditionmal political parties..
    so much for now.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.


*