ARF RESPONDS TO FOREIGN MINISTERS CRITICISM

Asbarez
Jul 22nd, 2009

YEREVAN (RFE/RL)–The Armenian Revolutionary Federation on Wednesday
reiterated that the current administration is pursuing an erroneous
foreign policy in response to remarks by the foreign minister Monday
accusing critics of "speculating on national issues."

Armen Rustamian, the chairman of the ARF’s Supreme Body in Armenia,
said he hoped the accusations made by Foreign Minister Edward
Nalbandian, whom the ARF had urged to step down, did not refer to
his party.

Answering RFE/RL’s question regarding the recent calls for his
resignation over "a failed foreign policy", in particular in the
continuing Armenian-Azerbaijani negotiations over Karabakh, Nalbandian
described them as "pointless noise" and "speculation" over matters
of national importance.

In response to the minister’s retaliation, Rustamian told RFE/RL that
the ARF "has no such purpose."

"We have never used, nor are going to use national issues to solve
any narrow party problems. On the contrary, the logic of all our
statements is that our priority is to form a united front no matter
what partisanship," he said.

Rustamian, however, again called the situation ‘alarming’ and blamed
it on foreign policy blunders.

"We think it would be right of the Foreign Ministry to assist in20the
efforts on forming a national front," said Rustamian.

In view of the "drastically changed situation" in the
Armenian-Azerbaijani negotiations, Rustamian said: "When the so-called
Madrid principles are officially disclosed at such a high level,
it already ushers in a new stage in the negotiating process. It is
only logical and natural that the society should be engaged at this
stage and all should be able to express their opinions clearly and,
most importantly, point out what is unacceptable in this process."