Russian President Putin is against Serzh Sarkisian as Kocharian's successor?

Kocharian's press secretary was also asked to comment on a recent report published in the "Iravunk" weekly, which, citing its sources, suggested that Russian President Vladimir Putin had openly spoken against Armenia's powerful defense minister Serzh Sarkisian as Kocharian's successor.

"I haven't discussed publications of that type with the president for a long time, because very often they are so absurd that even do not deserve discussing," Soghomonian said.

He said the relations between Kocharian and Sarkisian were normal and that there was no conflict between Armenia's ruling Republican Party and Prosperous Armenia, a newly established pro-government party led by tycoon Gagik Tsarukian, RFE/RL Armenian service informs.