REFRESHED ARMENIAN COMMUNIST PARTY TO RUN FOR PARLIAMENT

YEREVAN, MAY 27, ARMENPRESS:Yuri Manukian, a former senior official of the Communist party, expelled from it for going against the party line and collaborating with the government, claimed 5,000 members and 12 regional chapters of the Refreshed Communist party of Armenia, which he founded after his expulsion. Speaking to the last Saturday founding congress of his party, Manukian claimed his party°s ranks were being supplemented by many Communists, who get frustrated with the policy of the Communist party of Armenia. Manukian also claimed that his party was the legal heir of the true Armenian Communist party born in 1920. As regards the new party°s ideology and program it is not different from those of the Communist party, the difference is in the mechanism to achieve the proclaimed goals which are building socialism based on Marxism-Leninism. Manukian also said his party would be advocating Armenia°s joining the Russia-Belarus Union as well as building appropriate relationship with the West. Manukian also spoke against making concessions to Azerbaijan in the settlement of Nagorno Karabakh conflict. Manukian said his party will be competing for parliament setas in 2003 elections.-0-/39/