ARMENIA: Thousands rally for Armenian presidential hopeful

Thousands of Armenians rally in the capital Yerevan on Friday in support of former president Levon Ter-Petrosyan's bid to win February re-election. Thousands of Armenians rallied in the capital Yerevan on Friday (November 16) to support former president Levon Ter-Petrosyan in his bid to win back power in February's presidential election. Ter-Petrosyan's push for power is seen as the biggest threat to Prime Minister Serzh Sarksyan, President Robert Kocharyan's chosen successor. The opposition in Armenia, a state of around 3 million people bordering Turkey and Iran, is divided and has failed to find a leader to unite behind and challenge Kocharyan who is credited with overseeing strong economic growth. Ter-Petrosyan quit as president in 1998 because of a storm of public anger over concessions he backed to resolve a territorial dispute with neighbouring Azerbaijan over the separatist territory of Nagorno-Karabakh. His presidential bid could tap into a feeling of discontent among certain sectors of the population who feel Kocharyan's administration is too close to powerful business interests. Some in Armenia also resent the fact many in government -- including Kocharyan and Sarksyan -- are not from Armenia but Nagorno-Karabakh, which is internationally recognised as part of Azerbaijan but has a majority Armenian population.

ITN Source | November 17, 2007

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