THE AZG DAILY OF YEREVAN–IN ITS MARCH 25 ISSUE–RAN THE FOLLOWING REPORT UNDER THE ABOVE HEADLINE. THE TRANSLATED TEXT OF THAT REPORT FOLLOWS–WITH NO FURTHER COMMENT ON OUR PART.
YEREVAN–The home of former Defense Minister Vagharshak Haroutiunian has been converted into the "Strategic Headquarters" for the realization of regime change in Armenia–reliable sources have informed Azg.
Leaders of the Armenian opposition–specifically its Ararat wing–led by former Prime Minister Aram Sargsian–regularly gather there to plan out scenarios for toppling the administration of Robert Kocharian.
Also active and interested in this matter are the Armenian National Movement–although for now in a supporting role–and the first President of Armenia–Levon Ter Petrosian. The undertaking is reportedly receiving financing from Vatche Manoukian–the London-based millionaire.
The opposition will attempt to take to the streets–rallying crowds to surround the President’s office and obstruct him from entering his workplace.
The former authorities of the Republic are placing their bets on Aram Sargsian–taking into account his family’s misfortune: his brother–former Defense Minister and Prime Minister Vazgen Sargsian was the victim of the October 27–1999 killings–and his other brother–Armen Sargsian–was condemned to 15 years’ imprisonment on charges of contracting the killing of chief of Armenian State TV Tigran Naghdalian. The strategists of regime change seem to have made the right choice in Aram Sargsian–who is eager to take revenge on Robert Kocharian.
The [current] authorities are in a determined mood and are prepared to stifle the opposition by resorting to forcible means–according to information available to Azg.
Only a few weeks ago–during his television interview–Kocharian made it known to the opposition that maintaining the constitutional order is the purview of the power structures–the interior and security forces. The response of Defense Minister Serzh Sargsian was more clear and unadorned: "We’ll see who slaughters whom." It is plain–notwithstanding the threats directed at the opposition–that the authorities are becoming upset.