Sunday, May 29, 2011

That's 3...

It's been almost 2 days since Pashinyan, Mikaelyan and the remaining political prisoners were set free under the cover of an amnesty which released hundreds.
The next meeting is in 2 days, on May 31 - it will be the second on to be held in Liberty Square.
The March 1 investigation is supposedly underway.

That's three. A difficult three for Sargsyan, I think. He's playing chess with the opposition, and he's walking a fine tightrope stretched over shark-infested waters with his established "colleagues" - slowly, carefully, stepping forward while trying to keep his options open, and watch his back, perhaps literally...

But what is making him take such risky steps? Is it the fear of social upheaval, as some say? Is it the realization that there may be limitations to just how long and severely the country can be financially ravaged by this regime? Is it international pressure regarding NK and Turkey? Or perhaps Sargsyan's conscience is finally waking up from its coma... (less likely, but I thought I'd throw it in there).

I honestly don't know. But it seems that he has decided that careful baby steps toward the opposition are in his best interest. Or, another way of looking at it, perhaps he has started down a road, and has a goal in his sights, but he needs the opposition to get there.

Dialogue is next, and is always difficult. The depth and breadth of problems facing the country are enormous. The remaining 12 demands (list here) are only the tip of the iceberg, but they're a start.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Personally, I don't think Serj has a conscience. He is afraid of his own life, I think. It is international pressure regarding NK and Turkey that made him move, not his conscience. It can also be that Robik , who is now too silent, has some things up his sleeve regarding March 1 and Serj.
One thing I know for sure, Serj and his compatriots must leave.