YEREVAN, MARCH 31, NOYAN TAPAN. In Yerevan Council of Elders elections Dashnaktsutiun rather attaches importance to the whole electoral roll than the person heading the list. Artyusha Shahbazian, the Secretary of the National Assembly ARFD faction, mentioned at the March 31 press conference that for the first time not only Yerevan Mayor, but also Council of Elders being Yerevan's representative body will be elected. Representation of a great number of political forces in the latter will lead to balancing of forces, will ensure efficient work and possibility of general control. Asked "will the party be able to receive more than 7% votes, if the list is headed by Artsvik Minasian, whom society does not know well," A. Shahbazian said that in the past years from Dashnaktsutiun's team no one was so active as he. He affirmed that both the ARFD list and candidate number one have a great potential. A. Shahbazian considers improbable assistance to RPA candidate in Yerevan Mayor's elections. According to him, the coalition does not oblige the parties making part of it to become each other's adjuncts. Coalition parties can run for the elections individually, as for political forces having something to say it is an occasion of manifesting themselves. According to A. Shahbazian, there is a tendency of on the one hand, very much politicizing the elections and on the other hand, presenting them outside of the political sphere. Political parties' participation, exclusively proportional system, election programs already make Mayor's elections political. The future Yerevan Council of Elders cannot be outside of political processes, and though not directly, nevertheless in some way they will show their attitude on issues important for the country. However, at the same time no political change is expected in the country as a result of Mayor's elections, as the elected body will be subordinate to the Prime Minister and government. According to the ARFD representative, all political forces taking part in the elections to some extent will be represented in the future Council of Elders' staff. As to the Mayor, the authorities are not concerned with the possibility of opposition representative's taking that post. Irrespective of the fact who will become Mayor the body will cooperate will the executive power, as it is difficult to imagine that Yerevan Mayor's Office will carry out policy contradicting President's or government's policy. The ARFD faction Secretary called media for not considering this press conference the start of party's entering the election campaign. He said that ARFD Supreme Body representative Armen Rustamian was appointed head of party's election headquarters, and the election program will be publicized soon.

---