Rustamian: National solidarity is achieved though political solidarity

Yerkir.am
June 08, 2007

The coalition has signed a cooperation agreement with the ARF, Armen
Rustamian, the ARF Supreme Body of Armenia representative, told a news
conference following the signing ceremony of the agreement to set up a
political coalition at the presidential palace. He said the agreement
will be in force until the 2008 presidential election.

"A new format of reaching a political solidarity has been created in
Armenia. It is very important to reach political agreements, and the
ARF sees this very important. It is through political solidarity that a
national solidarity is achieved," Rustamian said.

Rustamian said that the ARF did not join the coalition due to two
reasons: the party wants to maintain the course of its own, and
nominate its own candidate in the presidential election. The Supreme
Body upcoming meeting will give more specific answers, he said.
The second reason is that there are differences in the approaches of
various issues.

He also said that it might sound unusual that the ARF is not part of
the coalition by is part of the cabinet. The cooperation, unlike
coalition, is a more vague relations which results in a more
independent position.

He also said that the Republican Party may nominate the incumbent
Minister of Labor and Social Affairs, Aghvan Vardanian, in the same
post. "The ARF assumes responsibility for its persons in the
government," he said.

Rustamian said that in the National Assembly, the ARF will have the
posts of National Assembly deputy speaker, as well as those of the
chairpersons of NA committees on foreign relations, national security
and internal affairs. He said that an ARF member will be appointed
governor of Aragatsotn Region.

This situation is a little unusual. However, this is due to the fact
that there is five years before the next parliamentary election but the
ARF will continue to cooperate with the country’s president until the
forthcoming presidential election. These relateions have not changed,
and the cooperation agreement, in fact, is for that period, the
presidential election, that is.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress