HHK rep.: We are ready to cooperate with HAK (video)
The Republicans in Armenia do not see a great contradiction between the word ‘security’ [used in their campaign slogan] and the notion “peace” envisioned by the electoral alliance formed by Armenian National Congress (HAK) and People’s Party of Armenia (HZhK). “If there's no peace, there's no security. Everything else - progress, development and democracy -depends on them,” says Vahram Baghdasaryan, who heads the parliamentary group of the Republican Party of Armenia (HHK). He is not against normalizing relations with Azerbaijan but ‘only after solving the issue of self-determination of the Artsakh people.’ The HHK is going to the elections with the slogan “Security and Progress" which reflects the obvious concern given the background of the April War, and the staggering economic situation in the country. “Should the HAK want to go with us under the same motto, we are ready to discuss possible cooperation,” Mr Baghdasaryan says. The HAK-HZhK alliance has chosen “Peace, Reconciliation and Good Neighborliness” as its slogan in the election campaign. The ARF-Dashnaktsutyun sees a kind of defeatism in the slogan. “Azerbaijan does not intend to compromise anything,” says Dashnaks. How is the HAK going to achieve peace under these circumstances? “The easiest way [to end the war] is to surrender [to the enemy]. Let us do it and say that it is what Azerbaijan longs for. It wants us to satisfy its whims,” says Armen Rustamyan, Head of the ARF-Dashnaktsutyun parliamentary faction. Rustamyan has got the impression that HAK Leader Levon Ter-Petrosyan has not recognized the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic until now. He [Ter-Petrosyan] should call on the head of Azerbaijan to recognize the independence of Artsakh. Only after it can he speak about compromises. Saying ‘the independence of Artsakh,’ Armen Rustamyan means the territory of Karabakh during the proclamation of independence, including Shahumyan region. “Plus Sochi and Istanbul… Why not?” HAK member Aram Manukyan hints back at the Dashnak lawmaker. “Dashnaktsutyun proposes a toast expressing its wishes.” Mr Manukyan says they want their political platform for the April 2 parliamentary election to be approved by people, not by the Dashnaks. “We recognize the right to self-determination of the Karabakh people. Armenia can take steps to get other countries to recognize that right. If you can be strong enough to do it, please act.”
