A special meeting of the Heritage parliamentary list, including political figures and civil society representatives, was called on Saturday by Raffi K. Hovannisian in order to finalize the terms of an unprecedented political-civil partnership and to adopt a guiding manifesto titled the “Covenant for a New Armenia.”
COVENANT FOR A NEW ARMENIA
We, the undersigned representatives of two political parties and the greater civil society of the Republic of Armenia, today declare ourselves a union—a complete political and civic alternative for the citizens of our republic—and embark together on a historic mission of democratic and national transformation, founded upon the freedom of thought and speech, and the open, unconstrained competition of ideas.
Our supreme values are civil rights, state sovereignty, and the national interest. We will contend first the upcoming parliamentary elections and then the presidential elections, with the single ambition of reinforcing these values. We shall struggle for our victory and establish a new ruling authority with a new government.
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Within our union, we shall abide by a process of collegial decision-making, in harmony with the political, human, and ethical qualities embodied by Raffi K. Hovannisian. We hereby assume individual responsibility and collective accountability for the realization of our joint political decisions and commitments. We enter into a new covenant of true, unconditional civil service.
In economics, we defend the principle of free, competitive, and social markets. In the political sphere, we advocate for a parliamentary model of state administration.
We believe that Armenian-Turkish relations must be established upon the realization of historical justice and international law, recognition of the Armenian Genocide, and restitution for that Great National Dispossession. The Armenian-Turkish frontier must be opened and diplomatic relations between the two neighboring countries achieved without preconditions. If Turkey continues to push its preconditions, however, then Armenia also must bring her preconditions to the table.
A rightful resolution in the matter of the Mountainous Karabagh Republic—Artsakh—must be anchored in the international affirmation of its sovereignty and integrity. As an independent republic, Artsakh must accede to world, and especially European, institutions.
Acknowledging the importance of a mutually strategic cooperation with Russia and the imperative of the development of a comprehensive partnership with the United States of America, we aim in our foreign policy for deep integration with the community of European nations, and look forward to our republic’s membership in the European Union.
For citizen, for freedom, and for the Republic of Armenia.
24 March 2012
Yerevan
Raffi K. Hovannisian
Khachatur Kokobelyan, Free Democrats
Zaruhi Postanjyan, Heritage, Member of Parliament
Alexander Arzoumanian, Free Democrats, former Minister of Foreign Affairs, former political prisoner
Ruben Hakobyan, Heritage, former Consul General, political scientist
Tevan Poghosyan, non-partisan, Chairman of International Center for Human Development, political scientist
Masis Ayvazyan, Free Democrats, former Deputy Chief of Police, former political prisoner
Stiopa Safaryan, Heritage, Member of Parliament
Izabella Abgaryan, non-partisan, philologist and blogger
Arman Musheghyan, non-partisan, World Without Barriers NGO for the disabled, economist
Anush Sedrakyan, Free Democrats, Yerevan State University professor, literary critic
Artak Ghazaryan, non-partisan, economist
Garnik Sahakyan, Heritage, Vanadzor, pharmacologist
Anahit Bakhshyan, Heritage, Member of Parliament, former school principal
Hovhannes Ghazaryan, Free Democrats, pedagogue, former political prisoner
Armen Martirosyan, Heritage, Member of Parliament
Araks Poghosyan, non-partisan, radio journalist
Karapet Rubinyan, non-partisan, former Deputy Speaker of Parliament, former political prisoner
Hovsep Khurshudyan, Heritage, economist and geographer
Karen Karapetyan, Free Democrats, specialist of international relations
Arthur Poghosyan, Free Democrats, doctor-surgeon
Armen Torosyan, Heritage, economist-lawyer
Gagik Margaryan, Heritage, economist
Vahagn Ghazaryan, Free Democrats, specialist of international relations
Vardan Khachatryan, non-partisan, Member of Parliament, theologian
Christine Tamaryan, non-partisan, Member of Public Council, Committee on Agriculture and Environmental Protection
Georgi Lalayan, non-partisan, editor-in-chief, Armenian Center for National and International Studies
Artem Hovhannisyan, Heritage, Chairman of Venlo-Trans, Ltd.
Harutyun Abrahamyan, non-partisan, retired colonel
Davit Sanasaryan, Heritage, legislative aide
Susanna Muradyan, Heritage, Chairman of Sub-committee, Public Council, economist
Armen Arakelyan, Free Democrats, engineer
Susanna Barkhudaryan, Heritage, economist-engineer
Anahit Uzunyan, Heritage, Chairperson of the Committee on Cultural Affairs, Javakhk Compatriotic Union, teacher
Volodya Torosyan, Free Democrats, legal specialist
Vahagn Hovhannisyan, Heritage, Gyumri, lecturer
Armen Vanyan, Free Democrats, lawyer
Stepan Hasan-Jalalyan, Heritage, legislative aide
Tigran Sargsyan, Heritage, Talin, mathematician-teacher
Tamara Poghosyan, Free Democrats, specialist of international relations, former political prisoner
Larisa Alaverdyan, non-partisan, Member of Parliament
Arthur Harutyunyan, Heritage, university lecturer
Vahan Mkhitaryan, Free Democrats, engineer-technologist and lawyer
Radik Hovhannisyan, Heritage, Sisian, agronomist
Karine Siradeghyan, Free Democrats, technician-technologist
Edmond Yeganyan, Heritage, Artik, statistician
Karapet Juharyan, Heritage, manager
Samvel Sargsyan, Heritage, civil servant
Vachakan Hakobyan, Heritage, Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant, electrical engineer
Lusine Petrosyan, Heritage, Coordinator of Special Projects
Yervand Zurabyan, Free Democrats, engineer-constructor
Ashot Khansanamyan, Free Democrats, lawyer
Levon Shmavonyan, Free Democrats, Ingo-Armenia Ltd.
Hambardzum Parsamyan, Free Democrats, ASEDL Ltd., senior manager
Osik Movsisyan, Heritage, Yeghegnadzor, ethnographic specialist
Aram Muradyan, Free Democrats, economist
Voskehat Isakhanyan, Heritage, legislative aide
Armen Vardanyan, Free Democrats, driver
Sergey Avalyan, Free Democrats, Sharm Holding Ltd., head of media department
Hakob Smbatyan, Heritage, Martuni, teacher
Mamikon Sayadyan, Heritage, Noratus, teacher
Lusine Yesayan, Free Democrats, lawyer
Tigran Hakobyan, Free Democrats, economist
Vardges Margaryan, Heritage, Yerevan State Pedagogical University, professor and former deputy chancellor
Astghik Avetisyan, Free Democrats, philologist
Rubik Nersisyan, Heritage, Vayk, Head of Computing Center
Norayr Movsisyan, Free Democrats, Chairman of Armenian Event Association NGO
Asatur Isahakyan, Heritage, Yeghvard, chemist-biologist, veterenarian
Narek Yeranosyan, Heritage, Aparan, graduate student
Karine Avetisyan, Free Democrats, Armhidroenergoproject Ltd.
Davit Arakelyan, Free Democrats, former political prisoner
Narek Ayvazyan, Free Democrats, economist
Robert Shahbazyan, Heritage, Vagharshapat, teacher
Heritage Party News Service
