Armen Sarkissian has accepted the nomination of the ruling Republican Party of Armenia to stand as its candidate for the next president of Armenia.

Despite doubts raised in the Armenian press that he does not qualify for the post due to citizenship issues (a candidate must have held citizenship of only Armenia during the preceding six years), Sarkissian met with Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan today and accepted the nomination.

According to his press office, President Sargsyan told Sarkissian that he had displayed “tolerance and patience” in light of these media reports, and that these qualities are very important for a head of state.

Sarkissian is a shoe-in to become the fourth president of the Republic of Armenia given that the parliament, which will vote on the matter during the first ten days of March, is comprised of a majority of Republican Party MPs.

While the presidential press office’s release claims that Armen Sarkissian met with all parliamentary parties, in addition to representatives of political movements not represented in the parliament and civic organizations, such an assertion is difficult to verify.

Sarkissian said he would pay attention to improving the education sector but offered no specifics.

Sarkissian said he would also like to see a stronger and more active civil society.

“As a large nation with a relatively small country, we can only advance if we can strengthen civil society and again encourage a civic spirit. For this to happen it’s essential that each citizen strives to rediscover faith and hope, and that we have impartial dialog between all sectors of society,” Sarkissian said.

Photo (from left): Armen Sarkissian, Serzh Sargsyan