In a September 11 letter D. Rogozin, chairman of the Russian Federation’s Congress of Russian Communities (KRO) – the party of General Lebed – called on the Armenian authorities for the immediate reinstatement of the rights of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation-Dasnaktsutyun, prior to the September 22 presidential elections in Armenia. The letter states that “the people of Russia and Armenia have been linked historically, spiritually and on the basis of strategic interests for centuries. Public and political organizations in both countries have played important roles in the development of bilateral relations, and the role of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation in this respect is noteworthy.”

Sergei Baburin, leader of the Russian Peoples’ Union and Deputy Speaker of the Russian Duma, joined various other organizations in calling upon the Armenian leadership to immediately reinstate the rights of the ARF in Armenia.

Baburin’s statement said that “the Russian Peoples’ Union has continuously stood in support of mutually beneficial bilateral relations between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Armenia, and has been a proponent of democracy and free exchange of ideas in Armenia. Consequently, we cannot help but be alarmed at the one and a half year suspension of Armenia’s most experienced political party, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation. In fact, in July 1996, the ARF Supreme Assembly had satisfied all the conditions related to the operation of political parties in Armenia as set forth in the republics Constitution.”

ARF NEWS
August-September 1996
Volume 1.5(5)