ARAM KARAPETYAN ALSO SIGNED THE ARF STATEMENT

aram-karapetyan
08:07 pm | October 06, 2009 | Politics

Leader of the "New Times" party Aram Karapetyan was one of the
signatories of the ARF’s statement against the Turkish-Armenian
protocols. Taking into account the fact that Mr. Karapetyan has been
a member of the ARF, "A1+" asked Karapetyan if this was one of those
cases when it doesn’t matter if you are a former member of the ARF.

"Unfortunately, Soviet security officers are those who will always
remain the former Soviet security officers. Perhaps Dashnaks were
not considered to be former a hundred years ago, but today I know a
lot of former ARF members," said Karapetyan.

Karapetyan mentioned that he had only signed under the statement and
that that didn’t imply anything.

"That statement was in the interests of the "New Times" party and I
believe that it doesn’t matter who took the initiative."

Karapetyan is also planning to participate in the ARF October 9 rally
and march. He stated that he will continue to work with the Armenian
National Congress as well.

"The opposition must be broadened as much as possible. We can work
with the ARF in terms of Turkish-Armenian relations. We stand by the
Congress’s side in terms of Serzh Sargsyan’s resignation and will
do everything possible to make that happen. Let’s wait a while and
perhaps this will all end."

Do you think that the Congress will also join? In response, Karapetyan
said:

"Yes, I have hope that all political parties will unite as one. A
new wave is rising in Armenia and the opposition is getting larger."

Aram Karapetyan accepts that the society views the ARF not as an
oppositionist party, but a party that is completing the state order
through protests. "The ARF is currently demanding Nalbandyan’s
resignation. Let’s wait a while and perhaps later it will demand
Serzh Sargsyan’s resignation as well."

The leader of the party believes that the two sides will sign
the Turkish-Armenian protocols, but the parliaments won’t ratify
them. "Turkey will say that there will be no ratification until the
resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, while Armenia will say
that there will be no ratification until Turkey’s ratification. In the
end, Galust Sahakyan will tell everyone to take a look at Armenia’s
diplomacy."