YEREVAN. – “I believe [Armenia’s President] Serzh Sargsyan is the obvious favorite because the other ‘big boys’ are not running [in next year’s presidential elections],” Oxford University Professor and South Caucasus expert Neil MacFarlane told 168 Zham daily, the latter reports.  

“[Also,] MacFarlane said: ‘[Opposition bloc Armenian National Congress leader and First President Levon] Ter-Petrosyan has not said he will run. As far as I know, he said he is waiting for what [Prosperous Armenia Party Chairman Gagik] Tsarukyan will say. If the latter runs for President, he [that is, Ter-Petrosyan] will not run. The question is whether Tsarukyan wants to run [for presidency].’  

The political scientist noted that Serzh Sargsyan has good relations with the Russians. And, according to him [that is MacFarlane], very few in the West are interested in Armenia’s elections. ‘Armenia is important in the regional policy of Russia. In this sense, they [that is, the Russians] have no problems with Sargsyan,’ [Neil] MacFarlane said,” 168 Zham writes.