YEREVAN, SEPTEMBER 23, ARMENPRESS. Prime Minister of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, who is on a working visit in USA, Los-Angeles, met with ARF ANCA WR members at the head of ARF bureau member  Viken Yacoubian and member of ANCA WR Avetik Izmilian.

As ARMENPRESS was informed from the Office of the Prime Minister of Armenia, greeting the ARF representatives, Nikol Pashinyan said, “Respectable Mr. Yacoubian, respectable Mr. Izmirlian, dear partners, I am glad for the opportunity to meet with you.  I highly appreciate the activities of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation generally, and also in the efforts of preserving the Armenian identity. I think from that viewpoint we have reached a new stage, because, of course the preservation of the Armenian identity is a very important mission, as a result of which we have survived until the present time. Today we talk about strategic issues, but I think there is a small nuance that should be added. When we talk about the preservation of the Armenian identity we should understand not only preservation but we should already think of development.

ARF had and has quite active role in Armenia’s domestic politics. It’s not always that I have agreed with Dashnaktsutyun and it’s not always that we reached an agreement, but in the context of our pan-Armenian goals it does not change anything, because the issues that we did not agree upon are not so important, while there are many strategic issues over which we have reached an agreement. Therefore, I am very glad for today’s meeting. During this period I have had some interactions and have always expressed readiness for continuing and giving new sense to our meetings.

I have not hidden and I think that the ARF should make some reconsiderations over its recent activities in Armenia and it’s my conviction that it will be good for the future reputation and activities of Dashnaktsutyun in Armenia”.

Greeting the PM in the USA on behalf of the participants of the meeting, ARF bureau member  Viken Yacoubian noted that it’s a great honor for them to host the Armenian PM and his delegation. “It’s really very important for us that you are here, particularly given the fact that during the revolution in Armenia our people really demonstrated unity and raised its consolidated voice”, Viken Yacoubian said, noting that their organization had struggled for that voice for 128 years.

“Our hope and expectation is that the consolidation will continue in the future and we hope that we will keep away from dividing lines between our people, always valuing rule of law and placing the Constitution above all”, he said.

In the context of establishing a pan-Armenian agenda, Nikol Pashinyan and the members of ANCA WR highlighted the institutionalization of Armenia-Diaspora relations.

Edited and translated by Tigran Sirekanyan