YEREVAN (Noyan Tapan)–In an interview with Noyan Tapan–Armenian Revolutionary Federation representative Vahan Hovanessian said that both the president and prime minister of Armenia encourage the ARF to choose Armenia as the location for the first regular general meeting since Armenia’s independence.
Hovanessian–who chairs the Parliamentary Committee for Defense–Internal Affairs and National Security–pointed out that the party must be able to adapt itself to the swift and unanticipated processes of the world–while adhering to its principle goals and work ethics–"whether others like it or not."
"First of all–we must understand that from now on we are a party of Armenia–despite the fact that our members are scattered all over the world and work for all Armenia’s," Hovanessian said. "But we are Armenia-centric–because the center of Armenia’s is Armenia….The ARF has been trying to do this for ten years–but circumstances have always prevented us from achieving this goal," he added
Expressing optimism that no similar problems will arise this time–Hovanessian said: "Much is still to be done. We have great plans of changes–and–maybe–there is a necessity for searching for new approaches to achieve our goals."
The ARF holds its general meetings once every four years. The ARF Bureau is elected at these meetings. The party’s last general meeting was held in December 1995–when the party’s activities in Armenia were banned–and ARF leaders Hrant Margarian and Vahan Hovanessian were arrested. The next general meeting of the party is scheduled for late January.