ARMENIAN REVOLUTIONARY FEDERATION-DASHNAKTSUTYUN BUREAU

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Mailing Address: P.O.Box 123 – Yerevan, Armenia 0010
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THERE IS NO NEED FOR THE REPUBLIC OF ARMENI TO RUSH, ARF-DASHNAKTSUTYUN FINDS

Yerevan, 27 August 2008, ARF Press Office — In response to a question
from a reporter from Republic of Armenia daily, regarding Russia’s
recognition of the independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, Armen
Rustamyan, Chairman of the ARF-Dashnaktsutyun Supreme Council of
Armenia, stated:

"It is a complicated situation for us. We respect the right to
self-determination; we have and will continue to defend the right of
the people of Karabakh to determine their own destiny. The
independence of South Ossetia and Abkhazia has been recognized by the
Russian Federation, one of the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group and
our strategic partner, while the other two co-chairs have recognized
the independence of Kosovo.

"On the other hand, the issue concerns our neighbor Georgia, with whom
normal relations are of vital interest to our country.

"In these conditions, we think, that the Republic of Armenia should
not act hastily, as it did in the case of Kosovo. Armenia has not even
recognized the independence of Karabakh, because it doesn’t consider
that the international community’s ability to resolve the issue
peacefully has been exhausted. We think, that the possibilities to
peacefully resolve the Russia-Georgia conflict have also not been
exhausted and that it is possible and it is the way to proceed. The
Republic of Armenia cannot discuss the recognition of Abkhazia and
South Ossetia outside the context of the Karabakh issue."

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress