Another BDP-ARFD High-level Meeting, a First in Istanbul

ARF-D members Mario Nalbandian and Giro Manoyan (on the left) meet with the BDP delegation

ARF-D members Mario Nalbandian and Giro Manoyan (on the left) meet with the BDP delegation

Yerevan (12 December) — A high-level meeting between delegations representing the Armenian Revolutionary Federation-Dashnaktsutyun and the Peace and Democracy Party (BDP) of Turkey was held today in Istanbul. This was the first time since 1923 that an official ARF-D delegation was visiting Istanbul.

The BDP delegation was led by Nazmi Gür, head of BDP’s foreign relations committee and member of the Turkish parliament, elected from Van; the ARF-D delegation was led by Mario Nalpatian, member of the ARF-D Bureau and vice-president of the Socialist International.

The Istanbul meeting was part of an ongoing dialogue about the possibilities of Armenian-Kurdish cooperation, Western Armenia and Kurdistan, as well as the national and democratic aspirations of the Armenian and Kurdish nations.

The previous such meeting was held on October 29, in Washington, DC, between delegations respectively led by BDP co-chairman Selahattin Demirtaş and ARF-D Bureau member Hagop Der Khatchadourian.

ARF-D Press Office