DASHNAKS RESPOND TO FOREIGN MINISTER’S CRITICISM
Sarkis Harutiunian
Liberty
nt/article/1783093.html
July 22 2009
Armenia
Armenia — Armen Rustamian, a leader of the Armenian Revolutionary
Federation party, undated
A major Armenian party has effectively refused to engage in strong
polemics over the recent poignant remarks by the foreign minister
who accused critics of "speculating on national issues", but again
insisted on its claim that the current administration is pursuing an
erroneous foreign policy.
Armen Rustamian, a senior member of the Armenian Revolutionary
Federation (Dashnaktsutyun), said on Wednesday he hoped the accusations
made by Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian, whom Dashnaktsutyun 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.
"On the one hand, they can perhaps be explained by some naivety, to
put it very mildly. On the other hand, perhaps by attempts to fish
in troubled waters," Nalbandian said on Monday.
In response to the minister’s retaliation, Rustamian told RFE/RL that
Dashnaktsutyun "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 in the
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."