The gathering began 45 minutes later than it had been announced to start. The weather was hot. About 5 thousand supporters of the opposition were waiting for their leader Levon Ter-Petrossian at the Matenadaran square. The gathering started as soon as Ter-Petrossian arrived. AAM board chairman Ararat Zurabyan said that it was not a pre-election gathering.

“Our campaign will start tomorrow, on May 2,” Zurabyan said. He informed that ANC was going to have pre-election meetings at the Yerevan communities. The first meeting will take place in Arabkir, on May 4. And on May 15 ANC will conduct a big rally at the Matenadaran square.

Just 5 people made speeches on that day: David Shahnazaryan from AAM, ANC coordinator Levon Zurabyan, Republic party chairman Aram Sargsyan, APP chairman Stepan Demirchyan and opposition leader Levon Ter-Petrossian.

In his 30-minute speech, Ter-Petrossian covered 4 issues: deterioration of social/economic situation; the case of 7 political prisoners; the dialogue between Armenia and Turkey; preparations for the election of the Yerevan mayor.

While talking about the Armenian-Turkish relations, RA former president Levon Ter-Petrossian said, “I should stress immediately that with the exception of one of its member-organizations, the Armenian National Congress is in favor of a speedy normalization of the Armenian-Turkish relations, and is ready to support all the positive steps of the Armenian authorities with regard to this issue. We only object to the creation of a special commission of Armenian and Turkish historians to study the Genocide, which we think can only mean denial of the Armenian Genocide.”

Ter-Petrossian continued his speech, saying, “Aside from the general disposition to normalize the relations, Turkey had another minimal and specific aim, which was to prevent the recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the US President Barak Obama and the American Congress at any cost. Turkey has reached its goal, Armenia has been left empty-handed, and the Diaspora has been disillusioned. The first half of the football diplomacy has ended with a score of 1:0 in Turkey’s favor.”

“Without a shred of exaggeration we have to conclude: In order to keep his hold on power, Serge Sargsyan has literally sold the Genocide. Without a doubt his next step is going to be to sell Karabakh, after which naturally he will be the first Armenian to be awarded the Nobel Prize,” Levon Ter-Petrossian said.

After Ter-Petrossian’s speech, the gathering participants marched by the Yerevan streets. The city administration had not licensed the march. However, the police announced that they were permitting it on the occasion of the May 1 holiday. The march ended at the Northern Avenue.