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ARF, Heritage MP's Defend Their Political Positions Re: Armenian-Turkish Relations
Today, MP’s Rouzan Arakelyan from the ARF and Zarouhie Postanjyan from the Heritage Party, expressed their views regarding recent developments in the process of Armenian-Turkish relations.
Ms. Arakelyan stressed that the Armenian people had entered a historic juncture and that, contrary to popular belief, the politically conscious segment of the Armenian population had expressed their agreement with the proposals put forth by the ARF regarding the negotiations process. She noted that there were lines of people waiting to sign the ARF petition against the Armenian-Turkish protocols set up by the ARF in Republic Square.
When asked why the Heritage Party, also bitterly opposed to the protocols, hasn’t expressed a desire to form a united front with the ARF, Ms. Arakelyan argued that each political party has its own political will and is free to join any movement it so desires.
Ms. Arakelyan stated, "Today the ARF will go it alone and stand by its principles. You must go and ask the leaders of Heritage why that haven’t joined our protest actions. Everyone knows, however, that Raffi Hovhannisyan, the most popular of the Heritage Party figures, cam and signed our petition."
Zarouhie Postanjyan from the Heritage Party stated that the stance of the ARF is known to all concerned and that it was a pity that the ARF has only started to become active now and not ten years ago. She continued that the underlying legal pinnings for the current dictatorial regime were laid during the time when the ARF was a part of the government and that the party had a hand in its making.
"Now when the ARF does not demand the resignation of Serzh Sargsyan but only that of the foreign minister, it signifies that the party has no ultimatums of its own," she said. Ms. Postanjyan said the Heritage Party had a clear policy directed against the protocols.
"We have organized parliamentary hearings on the matter that will take place on October 1. This is a practical initiative of the Heritage Party," she said.
In response, Ms. Arakelyan argued that the ARF had been active in the process of nation building since the first days of the independence of Armenia back in 1991 and unlike the Heritage Party wasn’t a newcomer to the political scene. She claimed that the ARF was always ready to confess its mistakes as well.
"The ARF was a part of the ruling government because we realized that many national problems would confront the newly independent republic and that by working from the inside we could prevent the government from making decisions that would come back to haunt us later on. For the ARF, remaining in the government was never a self-fulfilling prophecy," the ARF MP said.
She countered the criticism of Ms. Postanjyan, regarding not demanding the resignation of the president, by stating that the ARF wouldn’t go down the road of taking destabilizing measures.
"To take any eccentric measures today would only bring a smile to the face of our enemies," she argued.
Zarouhie Postanjyan countered by stating, "It is to be welcomed that you are trying to correct your political role at this moment and your policies. But many more average citizens would be signing your petition if they had faith in the sincerity of your political leaders who raise a hue and cry in the parliament but cast their votes quite differently."
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