Below is an interview with Hrair Karapetyan, the Chairman of the Standing Committee on Defense, National Security and Internal Affairs, RA Parliament, and member of the Executive Council, Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnakstutyun) ARF(D).

NEWS.am: Mr. Karapetyan, what is your comment on the speech delivered by Armenia’s first President Levon Ter-Petrosyan at the meeting of active members of the Armenian National Congress (ANC)?

H. Karapetyan: Levon Ter-Petrosyan’s speech was inconsistent, and he himself was inconsistent during his presidency. His speech is evidence he has not changed. For example, his speech did not make it clear what is the ANC’s position on the Armenian-Turkish relations. Now they say that no concessions are possible on the Armenian Genocide issue now they deny the Hay Dat (Armenian Cause). I have the impression that Ter-Petrosyan has no idea of Hay Dat and of whether it has anything in common with the issue of the Armenian Genocide.

Nonetheless, from Ter-Petrosyan’s latest speech I draw the conclusion that he has remained committed to the foreign-policy strategy he was advocating when President. Ter-Petrosyan continues denying Hay-Dat , whereas the Artsakh (Nagorno-Karabakh) issue is the first of Hay Dat’s demands. It was no coincidence that, when President, Ter-Petrosyan was pursuing a defeatist policy – leaving Nagorno-Karabakh as part of Azerbaijan. His article entitled “War or Peace” is evidence thereof. When President, Ter-Petrosyan was pursuing a disguised defeatist policy, whereas he is openly advocating his ideas now, calling the struggle waged by the Hay Dat supporting forces “a hysteric struggle.” All the statements are evidence of lack of political seriousness. A political force whose only aim is to change power cannot be called Opposition.

NEWS.am: What can you say about the fact that, despite his severe criticism of President Serzh Sargsyan, in his recent speech Ter-Petrosyan tried, as it were, to screen and justify the incumbent President by laying the responsibility for the present situation on his predecessor Robert Kocharyan?

H. Karapetyan: I consider Ter-Petrosyan’s speech nothing but a play on words. I think that neither the people nor political figures, including President Serzh Sargsyan, should take his words seriously – he is a person disregarding national interests and ideals, an ambitious person seeking to regain power. One of the most outstanding political figures of the Third Republic, Vazgen Sargsyan, played a great role in Ter-Petrosyan’s removal from power, as he was well aware of the threat that one posed to Armenia.

NEWS.am: Many experts think that, by addressing Serzh Saregsyan, Ter-Petrosyan was “extending a cooperating hand” to the authorities on the threshold of parliamentary elections…

H. Karapetyan: The experts may be right. In this context the following question should be put to the ruling majority: is their policy really in line with the ideas of Levon Ter-Petrosyan and the ANC? If so, the ARF is right – the incumbent authorities made a U-turn in their policy. It means that the fundamental principles of the national security concept have been revised, which is not publicized.

NEWS.am: What is the possible result of the ferment within the ANC? The matter particularly concerns the criticism voiced by Zhirair Sefilyan, the leader of the Miatsum (Unity) movement, which is part of the ANC.

H. Karapetyan: I think the recent processes may split the ANC, as Ter-Petrosyan’s policy is “after the heart” of the ANC members representing the Armenian National Movement (ANM). Many of the political forces forming the ANC accuse Ter-Petrosyan of being inactive. They believe that the ANC’s passivity against the ARF’s vigorous activities is affecting the ANC’s rating. In this context, I think Ter-Petrosyan’s speech was aimed at encouraging his supporters and assure them that the ANC will come to power without fail – if not by elections, then by cooperating with the authorities.

NEWS.am: Mr. Karapetyan, what is the reason for the second president’s prompt response to the first?

H. Karapetyan: An accused person is usually in a hurry to respond. On the other hand, if a guiltless person tries to justify himself, such one becomes half guilty.