YEREVAN -- A prominent member of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation (Dashnaktsutyun) has resigned as chairman of the parliament's Defense and Security Committee despite the party's decision to continue to control the post after leaving the governing coalition, RFE/RL’s Armenian Service reports.
Artur Aghabekian, a former deputy defense minister, said that he finds it "inexpedient" to continue as head of the committee.
Vahan Hovannisian, leader of the National Assembly's Dashnaktsutyun faction, called Aghabekian's decision "a personal matter" and insisted there are no serious disagreements within the party leadership.
Aghabekian added that he will "remain a Dashnaktsutyun soldier."
Hovannisian said the party's governing body will meet to decide who will succeed Aghabekian.
All Dashnaktsutyun members with senior positions in the executive and legislative branches of government resigned last week following the party's decision to leave the ruling coalition to protest President Serzh Sarkisian's policies toward Turkey.
But the party later accepted an offer by Sarkisian to retain two committee chairs.