ARF-Dashnaktsutyun Press Office
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Yerevan, 10 September 2008

Statement

The Bureau of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation-Dashnaktsutyun
held a special plenary session in Yerevan on September 9-10.

The main issues on the agenda were the complicated military and
political situation created in the region and Armenian-Turkish
relations.

After thoroughly discussing the internal and external challenges
facing Armenia, the plenary session of the ARF-Dashnaktsutyun Bureau
considered it necessary to draw the public’s attention to several of
the ARF’s fundamental positions regarding Armenian-Turkish interstate
relations.

a) Armenia and Turkey, as neighboring states, must work toward the
normalization of bilateral relations. However, we are convinced that
good neighborly relations can only be established after the
recognition by Turkey of the Armenian Genocide and the restoration of
the rights of the Armenian people. The unconditional lifting of the
blockade and the establishment of diplomatic relations can only serve
as first steps on this path.

b) The initiative of the President of the Republic of Armenia and the
subsequent meetings of the Presidents and Ministers of Foreign Affairs
must be followed by concrete positive steps by Turkey. The
ARF-Dashnaktsutyun will actively strive to ensure that official
meetings do not become merely propaganda opportunities for Turkey.

c) It is totally unacceptable for the ARF-Dashnaktsutyun that
Armenian-Turkish relations be normalized at the expense of Armenia’s
sovereignty, viability of its existence, or the national and state
rights of future Armenian generations.

d) Turkey can aspire to promote regional initiatives if it radically
changes its "Armenian policy." Turkey must not be party in the Artsakh
conflict; it should not talk to Armenia with preconditions, and must
relinquish its policy of deepening the divisions in the South
Caucasus, of blockading and isolating Armenia.

e) Since 1998 Armenia is pursuing a foreign policy based on
national-state ideology, one strategic direction of which is the
universal recognition and condemnation, including by Turkey, of the
Armenian Genocide. Armenia views this not only as a restoration of
historical justice, but also as a way to improve the overall situation
and mutual trust in the region, thus preventing similar crimes in the
future.

The ARF-Dashnaktsutyun has considered and considers the continuation
of this direction one of its fundamental tasks.