YEREVAN (RFE/RL)–The Armenian opposition officially ended–with a rally late Wednesday–its unsuccessful spring campaign for regime change.
"The first stage of the opposition movement is over," a leader of the Artarutyun alliance Albert Bazeyan–said during a concluding speech. He said Artarutyun and its principal ally–the National Unity Party (AMK)–need time to consider new methods of waging political struggle.
Other opposition leaders cited external factors such as the ongoing peace talks on Mountainous Karabagh and the upcoming discussion of the situation in Armenia at the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe to justify their decision.
Some opposition leaders admitted privately–however–that their two-month drive for President Robert Kocharian’s resignation has lost momentum. They said further anti-government rallies are thus unlikely to be held in the summer months. The AMK and Artarutyun bloc had earlier repeatedly postponed a promise a repeat of similar "decisive" actions.