Aram Amatuni, in his political analysis states the ARF leads active negotiations with Serzh Sargsyan. What is more important, Amatuni believes, is the fact that the ARF insists on the discussions. Although ARF Bureau chairman Hrant Markarian previously mentioned Sargsyan rejected two key elements of their 7-point election plan, however the negotiations will continue.
Amatuni mentions the ARF wants their political colleagues to accept their 7 points without any rejection but the case is not the same with Serzh Sargsyan. The political analyst states, Serzh Sargsyan is higher than any political power in the country for the ARF since they agree Sargsyan rejecting 2 of their 7 points and still being engaged in the discussions. As it was clear, Sargsyan rejected governmental points referring to the Armenian-Turkish protocols and parliamentary government. Amatuni reminds, the ARF proposes to eliminate the protocols completely and considers the parliamentary form of government the best.
Another interesting point is, Amatuni believes, the fact that the ARF announced which points were against Sargsyan’s views. The political analyst believes it was not the ARF initiative to announce the rejections of Sargsyan, but Serzh Sargsyans’s, because the ARF can do nothing without the president’s affirmation.
One of the two points Sargsyan rejected was connected with the protocols. This means Sargsyan wants to show the international society that no matter how hard the intrastate pressures are imposed over him, he will stand for what he initiated.
The second point Sargsyan disagreed was the parliamentary system shift of the government. However this is a message more to other political powers who were actually the creators of this initiative, rather than to the ARF itself who was not the one to start the discussions on this matter. With this statement Sargsyan actually answers all those political powers that stand for that decision.
Amatuni states it is not clear what compromise Sargsyan will demand from the ARF. This means ARF agrees upon Sargsyan’s next term, all it needs to clarify is the bargaining cost it has to pay. These discussions are important for the ARF and it is not hard for Sargsyan to just leave them off.
Amatuni concludes, there has been a Tsarukyan-Sargsyan meeting which was neither rejected nor confirmed, which means the ARF has a strong opponent in bargaining terms in the face of the PAP which, as Amatuni states, may bring to cost decline. Thus it becomes crucial for the ARF to come to an agreement with Sargsyan sooner than the PAP does it first.
