WHICH PARLIAMENTARY FORCE WILL REPRESENT INTERESTS OF JAVAKHETI?
Lragir.am
14 June 06
Generally associations of compatriots should not become involved
in politics, but the circumstances are a little different, said the
chair of Javakhk Association Shirak Torosyan June 14 at the Pastark
Club. The circumstance is naturally the same association led by him,
because there is an issue of Javakheti. Therefore Javakhk Association
is not free from politics. Moreover, its chair is a member of the
Hzor Hayrenik Party. Hence, in the parliamentary election 2007 Shirak
Torosyan and his political party can rely on the support of about 300
thousand Javakheti Armenians living in Armenia, especially considering
the anxiety of the Armenians of Javakheti that the lawmakers of
Armenia have never raised the question of Javakheti.
The leader of Javakhk Association does not hide that the members of
their association want Hzor Hayrenik to represent the interests of
Javakheti in the next parliament. This political party is distinguished
by its moderate stance on the issue of Javakheti and is really
aware of its problems, because the leaders of the party come from
Javakheti. It is evident, however, that Hzor Hayrenik is one of the
few political parties which try to take up the issue of the Javakheti
Armenians. The Armenian Revolutionary Federation has been the most
active political party so far. The ARF is more active and also more
radical. Dashnaktsutiun often sets forward the question of sovereignty,
even independence. This is done even at the party leaders’ level.
We will get a full picture if we recall the point of view of an ARF
leader about “the third front.” Hence, the ARF can be the main opponent
of Hzor Hayrenik for 300 thousand votes of Javakheti Armenians living
in Armenia. Especially that these political parties have opposite
visions for the settlement of the issue of Javakheti.
The evaluation of Dashnaktsutiun’s approach given by Shirak Torosyan,
the chair of Javakhk Association and a member of the Hzor Hayrenik
Party, shows that competition will become more intensive.
The evaluation is in the form of a question. “If they are concerned
about the issue of Javakheti, why did they fail to raise it in the
parliament?” asks Shirak Torosyan.