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YEREVAN (RFE/RL)--Armenia's
leadership offered the Armenian Revolutionary Federation on
Wednesday an opportunity to continue to serve in two major posts
in parliament despite its departure from the governing
coalition.
ARF leaders strongly hinted at their likely acceptance of the
offer, which was publicly voiced by parliament speaker Hovik
Abrahamian.
In accordance with its March 2008 power-sharing agreement with
President Serzh Sarkisian, the party was given three ministerial
and several vice-ministerial portfolios in the government. ARF
leaders also continued to occupy one of the two posts of deputy
speaker and to chair two standing committees of the National
Assembly.
The ARF pulled out of the four-party coalition on Monday in
protest against Sarkisian's diplomatic overtures to Turkey. All
of its members holding positions in the executive and
legislative branches tendered their resignations as a result.
Speaking on behalf of the Sarkisian administration, Abrahamian
urged the ARF to allow Armen Rustamian and Artur Aghabekian to
continue to serve as chairmen of the parliament committees on
foreign affairs and defense respectively. He cited a 2008 legal
amendment that entitles opposition lawmakers to head some of the
National Assembly panels.
“True, this change will apply to the next parliament,”
Abrahamian said during a parliament session. “Nevertheless, the
political coalition is urging the Armenian Revolutionary
Federation faction to withdraw, while being in opposition, Armen
Rustamian's and Artur Aghabekian's resignations.”
Vahan Hovannisian, the ARF's parliamentary leader, thanked the
ruling coalition for the offer. “We will discuss the proposal
and present our response to the National Assembly chairman,” he
said.
The ARF's governing Supreme Body in Armenia was expected to meet
and discuss the matter later on Wednesday. Rustamian, who is the
chairman of the body, indicated that he is in favor of accepting
the government offer. “It would be good if we laid the
foundation for a new [government-opposition] relationship,” he
said.
Artashes Shahbazian, another ARF lawmaker, took a similar view,
citing the need to “form a new political culture” in the
country. “It was not a wrong proposal, especially given that we
wished the coalition success in our statement,” he told RFE/RL.
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