MORE PEOPLE WOULD SUPPORT ARMENIAN NATIONAL CONGRESS THAN DASHNAKTSUTYUN: OPINION

Tert
Nov 16 2009
Armenia

"It seems to me, it can be argued, that ANC [Armenian National
Congress] is the opposition, while Dashnaktsutyun [Armenian
Revolutionary Federation] is not. Dashnaktsutyun attempted to become
the opposition, it attempted, it made the right move, someone had to
come out on the streets and incite the people, but since Dashnaktsutyun
didn’t have that opposition status which Congress had, the people
didn’t listen to that call and didn’t follow them. But if Congress had
come out, more people would come out after them and there would’ve
been results in that case," said Social Democrat Hunchakian Party
(SDHP) member Vahan Shirkhanyan at a press conference today.

Asked if SDHP is against steps taken by the Armenian National Congress,
is it possible that it will withdraw from being part of the ANC,
Shirkhanyan stated:

"The work with ANC has been within the declaration’s boundaries:
reinstating constitutional order in the country. The ANC is not
a political party, it doesn’t have an ideology, Hunchukian Party
is 123 years old with its ideology, stability, and clear position,
and it cannot change its ideology by being a part of the ANC. I don’t
see a reason to withdraw, because the reinstatement of constitutional
order remains an issue; if ANC is only after that issue, then not only
Hunchakian, but also the other 17-18 parties, I think, will continue
cooperating with ANC."

Shirkhanyan once again stated the SDHP’s official position: it is
against establishment of relations with Turkey, since the country
has not yet acknowledged the Armenian Genocide and has not dealt with
its consequences.