May 30, 2008

Heritage Holds Executive Session: Party Convention Slated for July 11

Yerevan—The Heritage Party’s Governing Council today called a special meeting devoted to a number of pressing agenda items, including the nationwide institutional crisis flowing from February’s presidential elections and reflected in the well-known April resolution of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE).

Raffi K. Hovannisian, chairman of the Heritage Party, opened the meeting, expressing his profound gratitude to the 31 assembled delegates, all party members and public supporters for their civic activity carried out, and righteous commitment demonstrated, on a daily basis throughout the year. Hovannisian then reflected on the current situation in Armenia: “Regardless of Heritage’s current mandate at the National Assembly, during this one year the party further consolidated its pivotal role in domestic and international affairs and justified in large measure the vote of confidence it received from the people. Regrettably, certain political actors who do not comprehend—or do not wish to accept—this truth have not given appropriate reactions to a long string of substantive Heritage initiatives, including the recent ‘Summary Program of Priority Reforms’ which the party has proposed. This notwithstanding, Heritage will persistently press on its chosen path and, together with the nation, will ultimately execute the imperative of resolving the current political turmoil and securing an institutional system change for the Republic.”

During the ensuing deliberations, the Council members, invited guests, and other session participants confirmed that the requirements of PACE Resolution 1609 to date have not in essence been met by the Armenian authorities. In addition, the ruling powers also have not yet replied to Heritage’s proposal to launch a meaningful dialogue, including a full consideration of its “Summary Program of Priority Reforms” which the party’s board made public on May 19.

The Heritage Council members then expressed their support for the party’s parliamentary group and its initiative to formally request that the president of Armenia grant citizenship to Zhirair Sefilian, a devotee of Artsakh’s struggle for liberty and self-determination. The Council also decided to reiterate the demand, in the framework of the same formal request, for the release of Vardan Malkhasian, Sasun Mikaelian, Miasnik Malkhasian, Ararat Zurabian, Alexander Arzoumanian and all other prisoners of conscience, as well as the immediate cessation of any and all political pursuit with regard to members of the opposition and civil society at large.

The Heritage delegates then proceeded to examine the proposals for amendments to the party’s charter, bylaws, and political platform. Council member Movses Aristakesian presented the primary policy changes which will be moved during Heritage’s forthcoming party convention. For the most part, these amendments embody the points laid down in the party’s election program that was adopted prior to the 2007 parliamentary polls. Hovsep Khurshudian, chairman of Heritage’s Constitutional Commission, subsequently introduced the proposed amendments to the charter’s provisions on electing the party chairman and constituting its Council. In line with these changes, the party’s regional representatives will now receive the right simultaneously to be elected to the Council. The participants in today’s special sitting also contemplated new guidelines for the correlation between Heritage’s executive board and its parliamentary group.

In her turn, Zoya Tadevosian, Heritage’s representative at the Central Election Commission, broached several matters concerning the local government elections to be held this autumn. In the exchange of views and outlooks which followed, the Council members spoke largely in favor of active involvement in these elections by supporting Heritage’s own as well as other alternative candidates. During the session, Stepan Safarian of Heritage’s parliamentary fraction also presented an accounting of its one-year activity. Heritage board member and MP Vardan Khachatrian then offered concluding remarks.

After conducting a complete examination of the situation in Armenia, the Heritage Party’s Council unanimously adopted its decision on Heritage’s role, objectives, and policies in the run-up to the party convention which it called for July 11. The decision reads:

“Deeming crucial the task of surmounting the national-institutional crisis that resulted from the presidential elections of 19 February 2008, and implementing to that end PACE Resolution 1609 of 17April 2008, the Heritage Party underscores for the record that:

a) The overcoming of the contemporary nationwide turmoil demands from all government and opposition forces and individuals that they fully and equally comprehend the new state of affairs created in the country and adopt a constructive and inclusive work ethic which rules out reciprocal annihilation, marginalization, imitation, and crisis-derivative demeanor.
b) Being guided by precisely this sense of duty, throughout April and May the Heritage Party launched initiatives—and made comprehensive proposals—to bridge the divide existing between the citizens and the administration, to encourage a public discourse among all political forces which are responsible for the current situation, and to carry out the requirements of PACE Resolution 1609 in mutual cooperation and with combined forces; unfortunately, instead of being accepted and comprehensively studied, these initiatives and proposals at best received superficial, spurious, and parochial interpretations which amount to excuses for not engaging in true dialogue.
c) Honoring the PACE resolution is not a mere matter of accountability before European institutions but rather represents the necessity of bringing to fruition the dignity and interests of Armenia’s citizens and of its newly independent statehood; we must be the first to expect the highest of democratic standards for our nation.
d) The looming isolation from the family of civilized nations—and a deepening deadlock for authority and opposition alike—is the price Armenia might indeed pay should it not come to its senses; the alternative, on the other hand, is the delivery of a quantum leap onto the country’s main artery of real democratic development, which can be accomplished solely by way of critical introspection and the firm precedence of national interests over partisan positions.
 
Based on these affirmations, the Heritage Party’s Council hereby decides:

1. To support the party’s leader in his continuing quest to realize rational proposals for political and societal discourse and to make use of every available means to that end;
2. To instruct the Heritage Party’s parliamentary group to prepare legislative initiatives for the implementation of the measures outlined in the “Summary Program of Priority Reforms” which Heritage made public on May 19 and which reflect the terms stipulated in PACE Resolutions 1601 and 1609;
3. To call Heritage’s Fifth Convention on July 11 and to constitute a task force comprising board members, party activists, and freedom-loving citizens which will assume responsibility for the organization and conduct of this public congress;
4. There to deliver a complete and conclusive assessment of the nation’s political phase preceding the Fifth Convention and of the party’s activities, accomplishments, and setbacks during that span, and to redefine by resolution of the Convention the challenges, objectives, and policies for the years to come.

30 May 2008
Yerevan”