President Meets with ARF, Other Political Forces

Hours after calling for consultations with political forces in Armenia, to find consensus regarding the fate of Artsakh, President Armen Sarkissian on Tuesday met with leaders of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation.

These consultations were spurred by the revelation that the president was not consulted nor was he engaged in discussions about the agreement signed by prime minister Nikol Pashinyan and the Russian and Azerbaijani presidents late Monday to end the Karabakh war.

In a statement on Tuesday, Sarkissian said any agreement on Artsakh must stem from Armenian national interests and must be concluded through a national consensus.

ARF Bureau member Armen Rustamyan and ARF Supreme Council of Armenia member Artsvik Minasyan met with president Sarkissian to discuss the unexpected situation created in the country following the revelation of the end of war agreement, which among other provisions, stipulates the surrender of Armenian territories in Artsakh—including Shushi—to Artsakh.

Holding the current leadership squarely responsible for the situation at hand, the ARF leaders expressed their concerns about the incredible threats the agreement poses to Armenia and presented their view on addressing the situation.

The sides emphasized the importance of national consensus for the settlement of Karabakh conflict, calling it an issue of national importance.

President Sarkissian underscored the need for preserve stability, public accord and unity in the country.

Sarkissian’s announcement Tuesday signaled that he was caught off guard about the agreement, saying he found out about it and its provisions through the press.

The president also held separate meetings Tuesday with leaders of the Republican Party of Armenia, as well as the parliamentary Bright Armenia party and non-parliamentary Homeland and Heritage parties.