YEREVAN–The Armenian Revolutionary Federation Supreme Assembly of Armenia concluded its sessions Monday and issued an announcement regarding the decisions made at the meeting. Below is the translated text of that announcement:
On the wave of the Karabakh liberation struggle–the leadership–which came to power in Armenia–very quickly began to retreat from its national–democratic principles–slowly becoming an authoritarian regime.
As a result of privatization efforts which came about through improper socio-economic policies and realized via the interests of the ruling cliques–the country’s economic potential collapsed and disintegrated resulting in social polarization–afflicting poverty on the wide majority of the population and forcing hundreds of thousands of the people to abandon the homeland.
The self-fulfilling aspiration to remain in power–at all costs–ultimately resulted in political violence. The ARF was suspended–numerous political leaders were persecuted–several publications were shut down–fraudulent parliamentary and presidential elections were staged and an illegal constitutional referendum was held.
The leaders of Armenia refrained from national ideology and withdrew themselves from national political issues of the Armenian people. The defeatist position articulated vis–vis the Karabakh question is a clear example of such a policy.
These severe political crises resulted in the resignation of Levon Ter-Petrosyan.
During the presidential election–the Armenian Revolutionary Federation endorsed the candidacy of Robert Kocharian based on ideological similarities–his national posturing on the Karabakh question–as well as his pre-election principles on economic growth–creation of jobs–ending socio-economic polarization and bringing to justice those responsible for the looting of the country and illegal activities.
The ARF Supreme Assembly stresses that although–in a short span of time–intentions to initiate reform in a broad spectrum of socio-political life is evident–however:
*The National Assembly–elected in 1995 through fraudulent election–continues to operate–creating obstacles in the democratic process;
*Generally–the misguided policies in regard to cadre development–continue to be maintained;
*Unemployment still remains extremely grave–as does social polarization;
*The agricultural sector is still deprived of the ability to fully utilize technological–economic and financial resources;
*Despite positive approaches for the reconstruction of the Earthquake Zone–tens of thousands of homeless people still remain in severe need;
*No real advances have been registered in efforts to improve the lives of unprotected citizens;
*In the sphere of healthcare–the same disorderly conditions still remain. The majority of the population is deprived of medical care.
Based on the aforementioned–the ARF Supreme Assembly announces:
The Armenian Revolutionary Federation will continue to demand radical structural changes in all spheres of societal life.
By defending the nationally beneficial programs of the President–the ARF will unequivocally and continuously demand their realization;
By supporting the interests of the Armenian people–the ARF will be against the corrupt system and will counter anti-national–undemocratic and illegal occurrences;
The ARF will pursue the establishment of complete rule of law in the country–and the legal prosecution pending against those responsible for socio-economic disarray.
The Third ARF Supreme Assembly of Armenia Executive