European Forum

ARF Dashnaktutiun threatens withdrawal from ruling coalition over Turkey deal

On April 22nd Armenia and Turkey agreed on a ‘road map’ of normalisation of relations, mediated by Switzerland. In a joint statement the Armenian and Turkish foreign ministers stated: ‘the two parties have achieved tangible progress and mutual understanding in this process and they have agreed on a comprehensive framework for the normalization of their bilateral relations in a mutually satisfactory manner […] In this context, a road-map has been identified.’ The content of the agreement has not been made public as of yet, and it is unclear whether or not the solution of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict has been made a condition, as was previously the case with Turkey.

In response the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (ARF Dashnaktutiun), currently in Armenia’s ruling coalition, was outraged. ‘For us it is absolutely unacceptable to normalize relations with Turkey at the expense of a viable and sovereign existence of our state and the state-national rights of generations,’ Dashnaktsutyun said in a statement. ‘Being committed to these principles, we regard as unacceptable and condemnable the signing […] of a joint statement with Turkey.’ The party also cited ‘overtly anti-Armenian statements’ made by Turkish leaders of late - an apparent reference to their renewed linkage between Turkish-Armenian relations and the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. According to Giro Manoyan, senior Dashnak representative, the Sarkisian administration has effectively accepted this and other Turkish preconditions and has gained nothing in return. He insisted that Turkey will not reopen its border with Armenia anytime soon.

Considering the move as negative for Armenia’s foreign policy, the party has announced it will look into the question of whether or not it will stay in the ruling coalition in the coming days. According to Manoyan, Dashnaktutiun’s leaders plan to meet and demand an explanation from President Serzh Sarkisian. Should the party decide to go ahead and withdraw from the coalition, the move could mean dramatic political developments in Armenia.

The sensitivity of the issue is partly due to its timing: the agreement between the estranged countries comes two days before the commemoration of massacres of Armenians in the Ottomoan Empire during the First World War that have widely been referred to as genocide. Armenia’s population and extended Diaspora have been awaiting April 24th, the official commemoration day, to see whether or not the new US administration will refer to the massacres as genocide in President Obama’s commemoration speech. An appearance of normalizing ties could cause the latter to refrain from decisive statements.

Source: Radio Liberty (Armenia)