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 WATERTOWN,
Mass. (A.W.)—Armen Rustamian, member of Armenia’s National
Assembly, concluded his East Coast visit on Dec. 13, following a
guest appearance at the New York ARF’s program marking the
party’s 119th anniversary. During his Dec. 9-13 visit, Rustamian
met with Congressional and other US representatives and spoke at
several Armenian community events organized by the ARF in
Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Providence, Watertown, New
Jersey, and New York.
During his six-city tour, Rustamian spread
the ARF’s unwavering message of opposition to the controversial
Armenia-Turkey protocols, which were signed by Armenia’s and
Turkey’s respective foreign ministers in October.
Rustamian, who is chairman of the National
Assembly’s Committee on Foreign Relations, also serves as
Representative of the ARF Supreme Body in Armenia. Throughout
his visit, he explained the ARF’s current strategy to derail the
protocols and warned that the party will 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. A report of his
community visits follows.
Washington, D.C.
Rustamian’s first community event was held
Dec. 9 when the ARF of Greater Washington invited
representatives of its affiliated organizations, ARF members and
supporters to a community talk on the protocols.
Rustamian shared details of his visits
earlier that day with various Congressional and Administration
officials. He emphasized the ARF’s view that Armenia’s
rapprochement with Turkey should have begun with the customary
establishment of diplomatic relations and Turkey’s opening of
its border with Armenia, followed by additional steps following
those initial moves.
The ARF leader told members of Congress and
State Department officials that the ARF favored open relations
with Turkey, but opposed the heavy price preconditions would
cost Armenia in exchange for an open border. Rustamian strongly
condemned the current protocols as dangerous to Armenia, noting
as an example Turkey’s current push to resolve the Karabakh
issue in Azerbaijan’s favor under cover of the protocols.
Philadelphia
Rustamian spoke at a community reception on
the evening of Dec. 10 organized by the Philadelphia ARF.
Rustamian discussed current events in Armenia, providing his
personal perspective as a deputy in Armenia’s National Assembly
and the role of the ARF as the voice of opposition in Armenia.
He focused on the importance of the
anti-protocols demonstrations throughout the Diaspora and in
Armenia, noting that these protests were so successful that
President Sarkisyan was compelled to respond to protesters just
prior to the Oct. 10 signing of the protocols, claiming that the
protocols did not endanger Armenian Genocide recognition,
reparations, or the self-determination rights of Karabakh’s
people.
Providence
Rustamian arrived in Providence the following
day, Friday, Dec. 11. He was greeted by members of the
Providence ARF and escorted to Providence City Hall by a police
motorcade. Providence Mayor David Cicilline welcomed Rustamian
to his chambers where Rustamyan was presented with a key to the
city. During his meeting with Rustamian, Cicilline noted his
long-standing, close relationship with the Providence
Armenian-American community and his recognition of the 1915
Armenian Genocide.
Also present to greet Rustamian at Providence
City Hall were a representative of the R.I. Jewish Federation
and the Counsel General of Guatemala, along with other foreign
Latino dignitaries. The representatives acknowledged the rich
culture and history of the Armenian people and related their
support for the self-determination of the people of Karabakh.
After the Providence City Hall ceremonies and
meetings, Rustamian was taken to the Rhode Island State House
where he met with Rhode Island Secretary of State Ralph Mollis
and State Treasurer Frank Caprio. Rustamian was also presented
with a citation from the Rhode Island House of Representatives
sponsored by Speaker of the House William Murphy, House Majority
Leader Gordon Fox and House Minority Leader Robert Watson.
The parliamentarian also visited Providence’s
North Burial Ground, location of the community’s 1915 Armenian
Genocide monument and memorial. The visit was solemn and he
learned of the monument’s history and background.
Rustamian’s Providence visit concluded with a
lunch with Providence ARF members and Rhode Island Attorney
General Patrick Lynch. Rustamian proceeded to Watertown, MA,
after lunch where he was scheduled to speak at a public meeting
at the Armenian Cultural and Educational Center sponsored by the
ARF of Greater Boston.
Watertown
In Watertown, Rustamian gave a wide-ranging
interview to Hairenik Weekly editor Zaven Torikian. He also met
with the ARS Central Executive Board, whose members were meeting
at the Hairenik Building.
On the evening of Dec. 11, over 200 people
attended the Boston ARF’s public meeting where Rustamian
discussed the meaning of the Armenia-Turkey protocols and the
ARF’s plan of action to derail their passage.
Rustamian explained the most contentious
sections of the protocols: the formation of an historical
commission to study and examine outstanding issues, presumably
including the 1915 Armenian Genocide; the precondition of
recognizing the Armenia-Turkey border established by the
illegitimate Kars Treaty; and the precondition of returning
Karabakh to Azerbaijan by requiring Armenia to recognize the
territorial integrity of neighboring countries, thereby
abandoning the self-determination rights of Karabakh’s people..
Rustamian emphasized that the Government of
Armenia’s repeated claims that the protocols contain no
preconditions are easily disproved by the protocols’ text, as
well as the open and repeated admissions by Turkey’s official
representatives.
He also discussed the Armenian government’s
miscalculation over the public reaction that the Protocols would
receive. Armenian government officials were not prepared for the
assault of protest from Armenians living inside and outside of
Armenia in opposition to the concessions Armenia would have to
make in exchange for an open Armenia-Turkey border.
With regard to the ARF’s plan to derail the
protocols’ passage, Rustamian explained that the ARF’s strategy
attacks the protocols at every stage of the ratification
process. He explained that the first stage centered on the
protocols’ pre-signing period. The ARF rallied its members and
supporters around the world and led the protest movement against
the protocols to pressure Armenian government representatives
not to sign the protocols on Oct. 10. When the protocols were
signed, the second stage of the ARF’s campaign has begun with
the Armenian Constitutional Court’s review of the protocols for
conflicts with Armenia’s Constitution. The ARF is focused on
this stage now and is making legal arguments to demonstrate the
protocols’ unconstitutionality. A court decision is expected in
January. If the Constitutional Court deems the protocols
constitutional, the ARF’s focus will shift to a third stage,
centering on the Armenian National Assembly’s vote on the
protocols. The ARF will push a majority of National Assembly
members to vote “no” on the protocols. If Armenia’s parliament
passes the protocols, the ARF will enter the fourth stage of its
strategy: calling for regime change in Armenia.
New Jersey
On Dec. 12, Rustamian paid a visit to the
Armenian Prelacy in New York, where he met Prelate Archbishop
Oshagan Choloyan and the Prelacy Executive Council. That
evening, Rustamyan was guest of honor at ah ARF New Jersey
gathering at the home of Raffi and Mari Keshishian. On the
morning of Dec. 13, the New Jersey ARF hosted a community brunch
in Rustamian’s honor.
New York
On Sunday evening, Dec. 19, Rustamian was the
main speaker at the New York ARF’s celebration of the party’s
119th anniversary, held at the Armenian community center in
Woodside. In a 40-minute address, Rustamian again reviewed his
US itinerary, focusing on insights derived from his discussions
with US Administration officials. He also reviewed the larger
struggle now underway regarding the Protocols’ ratification
inside Armenia, as well as the ongoing process between Armenia
and Turkey.
The program also included a written message
from Armenia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations,
Ambassador Karen Nazarian, which was read to the audience by MC
Ara Caprielian. Offering words of congratulation, the Ambassador
commended the ARF for waging many difficult struggles on behalf
of Armenian rights throughout its history. He then made clear
reference to Armeno-Turkish relations, emphasizing the need to
continue a demanding posture, both inside and outside Armenia.
The Ambassador’s remarks were enthusiastically received by the
audience of over 150.
The program also featured moving closing
remarks by His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan, Prelate of
the Armenian Apostolic Church. Archbishop Choloyan linked the
ARF’s identity to the cause of justice on a wide range of
issues, going well beyond the current protocols and encompassing
the critical junctures of modern Armenian history.
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