ARF LAUNCHES PROTEST IN YEREVAN

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Tuesday September 22, 2009

Yerevan – The Supreme Council of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation
launched a month-long protest on September 15 against the concessions
agreed to by the Armenian government in the protocols on the
development of relations between Armenia and Turkey.

The ARF’s protest involves a rotating 48-hour hunger strike in
front of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a sit-in in front of
the government building, both in Republic Square. The party is also
collecting signatures for a petition against the protocols and has
stated that it will continue with its protest until amendments are
made to the protocols. A list of proposed amendments has been published
by the party and is being circulated.

The party is criticizing two key points in the agreement. The first
is the point "Confirming the mutual recognition of the existing
border between the two countries as defined by the relevant treaties
of international law." The party contends that the provision is
unnecessary and forecloses the possibility of raising legitimate
claims in the future.

The second is the establishment of an intergovernmental commission
whose task will be to "implement a dialogue on the historical dimension
with the aim to restore mutual confidence between the two nations,
including an impartial scientific examination of the historical
records and archives to define existing problems and formulate
recommendations." The party argues that the establishment of such
a commission would cast doubt on the veracity of the Genocide and
postpone acknowledgement of the Genocide by various countries.