WITNESSES REJECT THAT BABAYAN HAD PLANED TO SEIZE THE POWER YET IN DECEMBER OF 1999

07.10.2000, MEDIAMAX, YEREVAN. The testimony of the witnesses is still being heard at the trial of the case of the terrorist act against RNK President in Stepanakert.
As the correspondent of MEDIAMAX reports from Stepanakert, the deputy of the National Assembly of Karabakh Arkadiy Soghomonian, one of the authors of the appeal of deputy group of RNK’s parliament of former convocation insisting on impeachment of the president Ghoukassian, said that he had three meetings with the ex-defense minister Samvel Babayan. Soghomonian said that the topic of force seizure of power was not touched upon during the meeting and that Samvel Babayan has not any revanchist goals.
The court has heard testimonies of a number of former and present commanders of military groups of Karabakh’s Army who took part at the session of Defence Ministry of Karabakh held December, 1999 and chaired by S. Babayan.
Possible return of Babayan to a big policy but through the political ways only was as well discussed during the session, one of witnesses Arthur Haroutyunian said.
The former commander of Martuni defence region Nelson Soghomonian said that during the session he came forward with a proposal on simultaneous resignation of the President Ghoukassian and S. Babayan and on the necessity to put this question on the agenda of session of RNK’s parliament. There were no talks about force seizure of power during the December session.
Incumbent commander of one of the military groups of Armenian Army Levon Mnatsakanian confirmed that the ways out of complicated internal political situation in Karabakh were discussed at December session at the headquarters of the Defence Army of Karabakh. He evidenced that no questions about force seizure of power were discussed.
It is expected that the Armenian politician Ashot Manucharian will appear at Monday hearing of the trial as a witness.
The trial of the case of the March 22 terrorist act against RNK president Arkady Ghoukassian started on September 18 in Stepanakert. The main accused of the case is RNK ex defense minister, Lieutenant-General Samvel Babayan. –0–