GAMESMANSHIP: OPPOSITION SUSPENDS PROTESTS WHILE TURKS COME TO TOWN

Northern Avenue, scene of “walk-ins” and sit-ins protests by political opposition for several months has been quiet for the last several days, as the opposition rally originally scheduled for September 5 was postponed for a week. Representatives of Armenia’s radical opposition has suspended actions in the interest of encouraging a calm environment for Saturday’s historic World Cup qualifying football match in which Armenia will host Turkey. On Wednesday Turkish president Abdullah Gul accepted Armenian president Serzh Sargsyan’s invitation to attend the politically-significant sporting event. “As a responsible opposition force we did not want to hinder solutions to certain foreign policy issues with domestic political issues,” radical opposition representative Suren Surenyants told ArmeniaNow. “However, the postponement of the rally and suspension of sitting strikes do not mean that we change our attitude towards the authorities.” Surenyants says that beginning September 12, the new announced date for the rally, an exclusively political struggle will continue through rallies, the National Congress platform and in other ways. “…We understand the necessity of putting in place additional measures to maintain public order and security in this special case,” the statement spread by the opposition says. “Waging a determined struggle against this illegal regime, the Armenian National Congress has never taken action that would in some way, even indirectly, damage Armenia’s statehood and people’s interests only to gain political dividends.” Before the statement of the Congress some pro-government politicians used television to urge people to opt out of the opposition rally that had been scheduled on the evening of the football match in order to preclude unnecessary tension. But changing the timing of its rally the opposition stated that its purpose is not creating tension in Armenia at an important moment. “I am sure that people will take this decision in its stride. A postponement for a week will have no effect on the spirit of our movement. Moreover, in some way it is a good occasion for all to get some rest,” said Levon Zurabyan, a top aide to opposition leader Levon Ter-Petrosyan. During a recent press conference Zurabyan denied that the opposition is trying to appease the government with its steps and make a gesture. “If we had a normal government that is really concerned with the reputation of the country, they themselves should have initiated negotiations with the opposition and asked us to make that step. There was no such request,” Zurabyan said. “We don’t have a government with statesmanship, but the opposition does have this statesmanship and wisdom, therefore it took that step without a request from the government.” However, representatives of the authorities insist that in this case the opposition “should not speak about statesmanlike thinking.” “I don’t think that it was a gesture, the opposition has its own calculations. It is their business,” senior Republican lawmaker Eduard Sharmazanov told ArmeniaNow. “Their steps directly proceed from their activities. In the past and in the present their team has been for Armenian-Turkish relationship. Hadn’t the opposition postponed their rally and stopped their sit-in, they would have contradicted themselves. And it has to do with the tactics that they have adopted and not with interests of the state.” During a press conference on September 2, first president and opposition leader Levon Ter-Petrosyan said regarding Armenian-Turkish relations: “We should establish normal good-neighborly relations with Turkey without preconditions. When I said this thing, they would say what a treachery it is. And now they keep repeating it night and day,” said Ter-Petrosyan, adding that in this case no one describes it as treachery. At the same time, he said that the opposition would continue its struggle with the demand for Serzh Sargsyan to step down as president.
Marianna Grigoryan

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