YEREVAN. – Armenia’s opposition ARF Dashnaktsutyun Party is against the chances of Prosperous Armenia Party (PAP) Chairman Gagik Tsarukyan running for President in next February’s elections, Zhoghovurd daily reports.

“During their meeting with several PAP members, the Dashnaktsutyun members expressed a bewilderment as to how Tsarukyan will debate with [incumbent President] Serzh Sargsyan, and how will they [that is, the ARF]— being a 120-year-old party—support the PAP leader [should he run in the elections].  

‘Why are you against [the chances of] Gagik Tsarukyan becoming the [opposition’s] single candidate?’ In response to this question of ours, [National Assembly] NA ARF Faction member Artsvik Minasyan said: ‘I have no information that we have such official viewpoint, and I can’t confirm all that because there is no such final viewpoint. The matter of a person is not discussed at this phase, and it is too early to speak about a disagreement in connection with a person. If we do that at this phase, we would be unsuccessful at the opportunities for cooperation,’” Zhoghovurd writes.