YEREVAN. – Despite not being elected President yet, presidential candidate Armen Sarkissian is already planning his first foreign visit, according to Zhamanak (Time) newspaper of Armenia.

“On March 5, he is going to travel to the US, especially to Los Angeles where he will meet with the local Armenian community.

“Sarkissian probably wishes to fulfill the objective he declared of being the President of all Armenians. But an unpleasant surprise awaits Sarkissian in the US because Los Angeles Armenians will demand from him to use his constitutional right and grant pardon to the Sasna Tsrer [armed group that took over a police patrol regiment building in capital city Yerevan, held hostages, but later surrendered in July 2016].

“Of course, Sarkissian can say that he cannot do that without [incumbent President and next likely PM] Serzh Sargsyan, and the right to pardon belongs to the [next] Prime Minister [of Armenia].

“But in any case, it is incomprehensible why he organizes such meetings at all, when all matters do not depend on him from the beginning, and he has no powers. The answer is well-known: ‘I decide nothing,’” wrote Zhamanak.