The head of the opposition Zharangutyun party’s parliamentary faction does not rule out that discussions “around further activities” will start soon among his party and representatives of the main opposition Armenian National Congress (HAK) and the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun).
Last month, the HAK presented a 12-point platform aimed at achieving a broader opposition cooperation, which was followed by Zharangutyun’s five-point plan for possible cooperation with other opposition groups.
“We are waiting for the reply [from the HAK and Dashnaktsutyun],” said Zharangutyun’s parliamentary leader Armen Martirosian at a press conference on Tuesday. “I think we will hear this answer within the next ten days, after which, I think, negotiations will take place.”
To RFE/RL’s question whether it was possible that a joint position would be formed as a result of the opposition discussions, considering the latest developments in the Karabakh negotiations, Martirosian said: “Let’s see how it happens as a result of discussions. It may be a joint viewpoint, or it may be three different viewpoints that are perceived as disagreement with the policies being carried out by the authorities. That is, an opposition viewpoint, a different viewpoint.”
Last month, Dashnaktsutyun responded coolly to the HAK offer of cooperation extended to all “democratic forces” to join it in fighting against the country’s current leadership.
The HAK’s statement was remarkable given the long history of antagonism between the Ter-Petrosian camp and Dashnaktsutyun. The nationalist party strongly opposed Armenia’s first post-Soviet government headed by Ter-Petrosian from 1991 to 1998 and was controversially banned by the latter in 1994. Dashnaktsutyun was a major ally of Ter-Petrosian’s successor Robert Kocharian and, until recently, President Sarkisian.
Dashnaktsutyun, however, effectively shared the HAK’s position on the recent mayoral election in Yerevan describing it as “deeply flawed”.
The nationalist party pulled out of Armenia’s governing coalition weeks before the June 1 mayoral vote over foreign policy differences with the Sarkisian government. It intensified its pressure on the current administration in the run-up to a crucial Armenian-Azerbaijani summit on Karabakh in Moscow late last week, demanding that no document be signed during it.
Still in June, senior Dashnaktsutyun member Vahan Hovannisian said regarding possible cooperation with the main opposition groups: “We need to ascertain the Zharangutyun party’s and the HAK’s positions on national issues before we can think about political cooperation. The HAK’s position is not to our liking, and it is a bit unclear to us on what issues we are being offered to hold consultations.”
Meanwhile, Zharangutyun’s leader Raffi Hovannisian then responded to the call and urged the HAK and Dashnaktsutyun to put aside their differences and start “a series of consultations” aimed at creating a “new cooperation framework.”
“We are waiting for the reply [from the HAK and Dashnaktsutyun],” said Zharangutyun’s parliamentary leader Armen Martirosian at a press conference on Tuesday. “I think we will hear this answer within the next ten days, after which, I think, negotiations will take place.”
To RFE/RL’s question whether it was possible that a joint position would be formed as a result of the opposition discussions, considering the latest developments in the Karabakh negotiations, Martirosian said: “Let’s see how it happens as a result of discussions. It may be a joint viewpoint, or it may be three different viewpoints that are perceived as disagreement with the policies being carried out by the authorities. That is, an opposition viewpoint, a different viewpoint.”
Last month, Dashnaktsutyun responded coolly to the HAK offer of cooperation extended to all “democratic forces” to join it in fighting against the country’s current leadership.
The HAK’s statement was remarkable given the long history of antagonism between the Ter-Petrosian camp and Dashnaktsutyun. The nationalist party strongly opposed Armenia’s first post-Soviet government headed by Ter-Petrosian from 1991 to 1998 and was controversially banned by the latter in 1994. Dashnaktsutyun was a major ally of Ter-Petrosian’s successor Robert Kocharian and, until recently, President Sarkisian.
Dashnaktsutyun, however, effectively shared the HAK’s position on the recent mayoral election in Yerevan describing it as “deeply flawed”.
The nationalist party pulled out of Armenia’s governing coalition weeks before the June 1 mayoral vote over foreign policy differences with the Sarkisian government. It intensified its pressure on the current administration in the run-up to a crucial Armenian-Azerbaijani summit on Karabakh in Moscow late last week, demanding that no document be signed during it.
Still in June, senior Dashnaktsutyun member Vahan Hovannisian said regarding possible cooperation with the main opposition groups: “We need to ascertain the Zharangutyun party’s and the HAK’s positions on national issues before we can think about political cooperation. The HAK’s position is not to our liking, and it is a bit unclear to us on what issues we are being offered to hold consultations.”
Meanwhile, Zharangutyun’s leader Raffi Hovannisian then responded to the call and urged the HAK and Dashnaktsutyun to put aside their differences and start “a series of consultations” aimed at creating a “new cooperation framework.”