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Rustamyan’s East Coast Tour a Success
Community Support for ARF’s Protocols Position Strong
Armenia National Assembly member Armen Rustamyan concluded his East Coast tour on Dec. 13 after a guest appearance in New York at an even commemorating the ARF’s 119th anniversary. During his Dec. 9-13 visit, Rustamyan, who is chair of the National Assembly’s Committee on Foreign Relations and the representative of the ARF Supreme Body in Armenia, was welcomed in Washington, Philadelphia, Providence, Watertown, New Jersey, and New York, where the ARF hosted community meetings and arranged for private meetings with local, government, and community representatives.
During his six-city tour, Rustamyan spread the ARF’s unwavering message of opposition to the controversial Armenia-Turkey protocols, which were signed by the foreign ministers of Armenia and Turkey in October. Armenian President Serge Sarkisian billed the protocols as a positive economic move for Armenia with the promised opening of the Armenia-Turkey border. But the ARF opposed the protocols and warned that an open border in exchange for heavy concessions could only damage the national interests of the Armenian nation.
Rustamyan explained the ARF’s current strategy to derail the protocols and warned that the party would press for regime change in Armenia if the protocols’ constitutionality is approved by Armenia’s Constitutional Court in January and if the National Assembly subsequently ratifies the document.
Look for full coverage of Rustamyan’s visit in the Armenian Weekly and Hairenik Weekly this week, or online at www.armenianweekly.com and www.hairenikweekly.com.
4 Comments
Umm, how exactly was it a “success?” What was so great about his visit to the eastern US, what did it accomplish exactly? Judging from what was summarized in a single sentence regarding the “ARF’s current strategy” there isn’t anything to be excited about, and his explanation is far from acceptable for anyone opposed to the protocols.
Chris,
At this point, merely showing up is considered a success for Mr. Rustamyan and the rest of the ARF in Armenia.
The ARF rings hollow when it says “It would press for regime change if the protocols are ratified”
The party finds itself in a Catch-22. Either fight the system that gives it succour or go out on a limb and flex its non-existent muscles. A loss either way…
Given the current role of the ARF to play opposition party, success is being visible in the public(especially in the diaspora)on current issues…i.e the protocols.
I believe that if the ARF is going to be successful in this role(and Ibelieve they can) they need to
understand the subtlties between national unity and value added opposition. Sometimes opposition
between political parties and governments can deprive a nation of unity at a critical time. Of course, a loyal opposition can mature the democratization of a young republic like Armenia, but only if they have a handle on how to add value to the Republic. No one is interested in a repeat of the days when the political parties(Ramgavar,Hunchakand Dashnak) endlessly attacked each other leaving the Armenian community to choose sides or not particiapte. That era was in the diaspora and today’s
issues involve.thankfully, the homeland aswell as the diaspora. I hope tha
The term “loyal opposition” refers to loyal to the nation and political system of government and
opposition to the sitting government. We surely are in need of an opposition process to address
the most pressing need of the nation…. the continued advanceof democracy in Armenia. My hope is that the ARF continues to articulate how it intends to address these vital needs of the Armenian people. A true “populist” party would be a timely addition to the Armenian political scene.