YEREVAN, JANUARY 30, NOYAN TAPAN. Serge Sargsian, the Chairman of the "Graduates Council" public organization of the Yerevan State University, the Secretary of the RA National Security Council attached to President, the Defence Minister was elected the Yerevan State University Council Chairman at the January 27 close secret votion by the absolute majority of votes: 65 for and 4 against. During a short interview to journalists, S.Sargsian mentioned that his being elected on the post of the Chairman wasn't unexpected: "I was already aware early today that my candidature must be nominated." According to him, he has never expected that his candidature would be nominated "but there are cases and cicumstances that don't coincide with a man's plans. I think this is one of those cases." S.Sargsian confesses that he isn't aware of activity of the University Council, and, naturally, couldn't have a program. "In my opinion, this work must be such one that it doesn't give the Council Chairman possibility to become an official and to take the place of either Council or Rector. Thus, the possibility of diverication is excluded, I'm sure that the Council should be a body which will create the most favourable conditions for the Rector's work," S.Sargsian emphasized. According to S.Sargsian, his being elected the Council Chairman has no connection with former Rector Radik Martirosian's not having been elected during the previous elections as he voted for him during the first votion. S.Sargsian persuaded journalists that "nobody attemp to give political implication" to today' event." Responding the Noyan Tapan correspondent's question if the election on the post of the Council Chairman doesn't suppose a successful start in the sense of 2008 presidential elections, S.Sargsian mentioned: "I don't think so, as, I have already said, it's still too early to speak about 2008. We'll speak about 2008 after 2007. And I haven't oriented yet to which political force to give my vote for the 2007 NA elections." To recap, S.Sargsian's candidature was nominated by NA Deputy Hranush Hakobian, after what YSU former Rector R.Martirosian withdrew his candidature.

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