ARF Dashnaktsutyun's protest rally not acceptable for Prosperous Armenia

January 11, 2010 - 14:41 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net -
Any rally or protest action, including today's event of ARF Dashnaktsutyun, aimed at exerting pressure on the conclusion of the RA Constitutional Court is not acceptable, since the judicial system of Armenia is an independent authority, saidAram Safaryan,secretary of theProsperous Armeniaparliamentarygroup.

According to MP, the action of Dashnaktsutyun would be acceptable and understandable only if it is aimed at drawing public attention to their point of view."I cannot say whether this protest would affect the decision of the Constitutional Court or not,"he told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

According to Safaryan,at the moment in theprocess of Armenian-Turkishnormalization,Turkeyis at an advantage.If the Turkish parliament ratifiesthe Protocols without any preconditions and reservations, then Armenia will do likewise,"Mr.Safaryansaid.

He also noted that if Turkeyintroducespreconditions,thenArmenia will adequately reactin the framework of international law.

The Armenian-Turkish Protocols

The Protocols aimed at normalization of bilateral ties and opening of the border between Armenia and Turkey were signed in Zurich by Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian and his Turkish counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu on October 10, 2009, after a series of diplomatic talks held through Swiss mediation.

On January 12, 2010, the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Armenia found the protocols conformable to the country’s Organic Law.

Commenting on the CC ruling, the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that “it contains preconditions and restrictive provisions which impair the letter and spirit of the Protocols.” ”The decision undermines the very reason for negotiating these Protocols as well as their fundamental objective. This approach cannot be accepted on our part. Turkey, in line with its accustomed allegiance to its international commitments, maintains its adherence to the primary provisions of these Protocols. We expect the same allegiance from the Armenian government,” the Ministry said.

The ARF Dashnaktsutyun

The Armenian Revolutionary Federation Dashnaktsutyun is an Armenian political party founded in Tiflis (Tbilisi, the capital of Georgia) in 1890 by Christapor Mikaelian, Stepan Zorian, and Simon Zavarian The ARF has the largest number of members from the political parties present in the Armenian Diaspora, having established affiliates in more than 200 countries.

The ARF Dashnaktsutyun led the effort toward the establishment of the first Armenian Republic in 1918 and was the party in power for the duration of its existence. Following the Sovietization of Armenia in 1920, the ARF-Dashnaktsutyun was banned by the Communists and its leadership exiled.

In the Diaspora, the ARF Dashnaktsutyun fought Soviet rule over Armenia and championed the cause of Armenian rights and independence; it played a leading role in organizing a social and cultural framework aimed at preserving the Armenian identity.

The ARF Dashnaktsutyun officially re-emerged in Armenia during the dissolution of the USSR, in 1990.

On December 28, 1994, the activities of the ARF-Dashnaktsutyun were "temporarily suspended" by the Armenian authorities. In view of the political nature of the anti-ARF interdictions by the Armenian authorities, the ARF continued to operate in Armenia. On February 9, 1998, less than a week after the resignation of the then president Ter-Petrossian, the Justice Ministry lifted the ban on the ARF Dashnaktsutyun.

Prior to Serzh Sargsyan's election as president of Armenia and for a short time thereafter, the ARF was a member of the governing coalition, even though it nominated its own candidate in the presidential elections.

Prosperous Armenia

Prosperous Armenia was founded on 30 April 2004. The founder of the party and its chairman is RA National Assembly's MP Gagik Tsarukyan. Prosperous Armenia is the party of civil accord and holds a centrist position on Armenia's political area. Advocating democracy and liberalism, Prosperous Armenia supports preservation of national and traditional values, attaching great importance to family, church and state. The party has joined the government coalition and is currently represented by 26 MPs in the National Assembly of Armenia.