ARFD SEEKS TO FAIL RATIFICATION OF ARMENIAN-TURKISH PROTOCOLS IN PARLIAMENT

NOYAN TAPAN
OCTOBER 14, 2009
YEREVAN

YEREVAN, OCTOBER 14, NOYAN TAPAN. After holding several actions
of protest against Armenian-Turkish protocols ARFD will get down
to the next stage on its agenda, failing protocols’ ratification
in the parliament. ARFD Bureau member, NA ARFD faction head Vahan
Hovhannisian stated at an October 14 press conference. He said that he
"had an aversion" watching the live broadcast of signing ceremony of
Armenian-Turkish protocols on October 10.

In his words, for decades ARFD had seeked to burst through the wall
of international silence towards Armenian people’s problems, issue
of Genocide, Armenian Cause. According to his estimation, on the day
of signing the protocols in Zurich "that wall was again hardened by
such forces for which the Armenian Cause is merely a playing card
for their political calculations."

"We will again burst through that wall," V. Hovhannisian assured
meaning failing the protocols in the National Assembly. In his words,
though protocols’ opponents in the parliament are few it will not
hinder them to fail protocols’ ratification. According to him, today
ARFD has 20-25% votes in the National Assembly, while "at heart"
that number of deputies reaches 90-95%.

V. Hovhannisian also said that ARFD’s October 16 rally, nevertheless,
will take place as the negative answer of the Mayor’s Office was not
within the law. He said that according to the law, the Mayor’s Office
was to have offered an alternative place, the same day, at the same
hour or in the same place on the other day. "It was not done, thus, the
negative answer is not within the law and we were only orally told that
another, children’s event is to take place there at the same hour,"
V. Hovhannisian said. He said that when in an oral talk they informed
the Mayor’s Office that they will hold the rally in another place the
latters said that "they will organize an event in that place as well."