Accused by their opponents of siding with the opposition in order to protect large Armenian communities in both Iran and Syria, the chairman of the Lebanese branch of Tashnaq, Hovig Mekhitarian, disputed all such claims. “We want candidates who represent our community,” Mekhitarian said. “We are not with the opposition, and not with the majority.” He further emphasized that their decision was not based on ideology, but rather served a purely local purpose. 

 

With a deep history of political neutrality, the Armenians, much like other minority ethnic groups, have put their own communitiy’s interests above those of the Lebanese state’s as a whole. The Hezbollah coalition offered them complete control over all Armenian-dominated districts. The pro-Western majority leader, Saad Hariri, attempted to court Tashnaq leaders, but ultimately proved unsuccessful because he did not offer enough. “He was really only offering one seat, and he wanted our support in 15 other seats,” Mekhitarian said. Those who negotiated on behalf of Hariri painted a slightly different picture. They held that the majority leadership had given into all of the Tashnaq’s demands for parliamentary seats, but in return wanted Armenian support before and after the elections. Conscious of their neutrality and unwilling to appear too close to any single political group, the Armenians refused the offer. 

-                             -Adrine Akopyan

 

In Lebanon’s Patchwork, a Focus on Armenians’ Political Might (by Robert F. Worth, New York Times)