Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, who is in Los-Angeles on the first leg of his working visit to the United States, later today met with the ARF WR members, led by ARF Bureau member Viken Yacoubian and ARF WR member Avetik Izmirlian.

Greeting the ARF representatives, Nikol Pashinyan said:

“Esteemed Mr. Yacoubian,
Honorable Mr. Izmirlian,
Dear Colleagues,

I am glad for the opportunity to meet with you. I highly appreciate the activities of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation in general, including your efforts to safeguard the Armenian identity.

From this perspective, I feel that we have reached a new stage, because the preservation of the Armenian identity is an extremely important mission, as a result of which we have survived until today.

Today we are talking about strategic issues, but I think there is a small nuance that needs to be mentioned. When we talk about the preservation of the Armenian identity, we should understand not only preservation, but development as well.

ARF has always played quite an active role in Armenia’s domestic politics. It is not always that I have agreed with Dashnaktsutyun and it is not always that we reached agreement, but in the context of our pan-Armenian goals it does not change anything, because those issues that we failed to agree upon are not so important, while there are many strategic issues over which we have reached 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 a new dimension to our meetings.

I think that the ARF should reassess its recent activities in Armenia and it is my conviction that it would be good for your party’s future reputation and Dashnaktsutyun’s activities in Armenia.”

ARF Bureau member Viken Yacoubian welcomed the Armenian Prime Minister on behalf of meeting participants: “It is a great honor for us to host the Armenian Prime Minister and his delegation. It is really very important for us that you are here, particularly given the fact that during the revolution in Armenia our people demonstrated unity and raised its consolidated voice. The ARF has struggled for that voice for 128 years.

In this sense, we note and reaffirm that the movement, above all, has awakened the hope of claiming justice, economic stability, and commitment to our national vision - a fervent hope, crucial for our people’s survival. We appreciate it, and we appreciate your being a symbol of that reality. The movement was one of the best reflections for us to mobilize the nation, to reassert the call of unity, as well as to anchor our visions and the pan-Armenian platform.

Our hope and expectation is that the consolidation will continue in the future, and we hope that we will avoid drawing dividing lines, value the rule of law and place the Constitution above all.”

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

Avetik Izmirlian advised that a Pan-Armenian Council of Western America has been set up, with a number of organizations involved, and work is being done to broaden the scope of Diaspora Armenians’ involvement in the organization. According to him, it is a good platform for protecting the rights of the Armenians living and working in Western America, as well as nationwide issues for maximizing investment in ensuring and developing security in Armenia and Artsakh.

Prime Minister Pashinyan and the ARF WR members dwelt on the need to rethink the nature of Armenia-Diaspora relations, the formation of a pan-Armenian agenda, the preservation of the Armenian identity, women’s empowerment during and following the Revolution, the strengthening of democracy and the development of justice in Armenia, the economic breakthrough, the judiciary reform, as well as on issues related to the format of Diaspora’s full-fledged participation in the efforts aimed at Homeland’s development.