Is Kocharian coming back to politics?


Former President Robert Kocharian visited Tehran on Thursday and held negotiations on regional and global developments with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki, according to Iranian media reports.
Reports by IRNA news agency and Tehran Times newspaper don’t provide any direct quotes from the visiting former president. However, both report, that  Kocharian make statements, such as:  “Armenia is determined to expand bilateral cooperation with Iran”, “underscoring that the two sides enjoy ample untapped capacities to increase current level of mutual and regional relations and cooperation.’
Kocharian, who has said in an interview just before stepping down, that he has no intention of becoming Armenia’s youngest pensioner, has, according to Iranian media, thus made statements, which should only be issued with the due authorization of the state. This would mean, that his visit is initiated either by Armenia’s President or the Foreign Ministry. Which would imply, that the controversial ex-president is returning to active politics, wouldn’t it?
Strangely, though, neither Kocharian’s press secretary, nor the Foreign Ministry or President Serzh Sargsian’s press secretary were able to provide intelligible explanations, as to what is the status of the visit, did he really make any statements on behalf of Armenia, and if so, who authorised Kocharian to speak on behalf of Armenia, etc.
PS: I bet Iranian media had no idea that this news would cause quite a bubble in Armenia! :)))

Artur Papyan

Journalist, blogger, digital security and media consultant

7 Comments

  1. He’s probably Serj’s envoy. Serj cannot anger the Americans much more but there is business to be done with the BFF.

  2. Just two old friends, swapping repression stories, sharing tips…

    1. :)))))))))) that must be it!

    2. Բացեց…

  3. President, like GB-shnik, never could be “ex-“.

  4. […] Mottaki arrived in Yerevan less than a week after the former Armenian President Robert Kocharian’s surprise visit to Tehran, which sparked intense media speculation in Armenia. Kocharian held talks there with the Iranian […]

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