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PRESS RELEASE
Bay Area Armenian National Committee
51 Commonwealth Avenue
San Francisco, California 94118
Phone: 415.387.3433 Fax: 415.751.0617
[email protected] www.ancsf.org
NOTE: PHOTO ATTACHED
Bay Area Armenian-American Representatives meet with Armenian Prime
Minister
Nov. 6, 2009 - Representatives from five prominent Bay Area Armenian-
American organizations met with the Armenian Prime Minister, Tigran
Sargsyan, on the occasion of his visit to the Bay Area, November 5-8.
The Prime Minister was attending the ArmTech Congress '09 in San Jose,
a conference sponsored by the Armenian government, on Armenia's high-
tech industry.
The leadership of the Bay Area Armenian National Committee, Armenian
Revolutionary Federation, Hamazkayin Armenian Cultural and Educational
Society, HMEM Armenian Athletic organization, KZV Armenian School, and
St. Gregory Armenian church, familiarized the Prime Minister, Consul
General and Armenian Ambassador to the U.S., with the Bay Area
Armenian-American community, its history, institutions, achievements
and challenges. They also expressed the grave concern and
disappointment of the majority of community members regarding the
"Protocols" recently signed by the presidents of Armenia and Turkey,
for the establishment of diplomatic relations. The Bay Area delegation
strongly urged the Armenian government representatives to do
everything in their power to prevent ratification of the Protocols.
They explained that although they are in favor of normalizing
relations between Armenia and Turkey, the conditions written into the
Protocols (including the formation of an "historical commission" and
points relating to existing boundaries), seriously undermine Armenia's
legal rights and the viability of the Armenian state in the future,
and that they cannot lead to true reconciliation, nor a stable
relationship between the two states.
The Prime Minister spoke at length, defending the President's signing
of the Protocols, saying that they were good for Armenia; that Turkey
would recognize the Armenian Genocide of its own volition; that
Turkey's process of reforms to enter the European Union will be a
positive development for Armenia. The Prime Minister described the
normalization process as a "new reality" in regards to Turkish-
Armenian relations. The Bay Area representatives expressed their
appreciation for the opportunity to discuss their concerns,
reiterating their opposition to the current government's harmful course.
###
Bay Area Armenian National Committee
51 Commonwealth Avenue
San Francisco, California 94118
Phone: 415.387.3433 Fax: 415.751.0617
[email protected] www.ancsf.org
NOTE: PHOTO ATTACHED
Bay Area Armenian-American Representatives meet with Armenian Prime
Minister
Nov. 6, 2009 - Representatives from five prominent Bay Area Armenian-
American organizations met with the Armenian Prime Minister, Tigran
Sargsyan, on the occasion of his visit to the Bay Area, November 5-8.
The Prime Minister was attending the ArmTech Congress '09 in San Jose,
a conference sponsored by the Armenian government, on Armenia's high-
tech industry.
The leadership of the Bay Area Armenian National Committee, Armenian
Revolutionary Federation, Hamazkayin Armenian Cultural and Educational
Society, HMEM Armenian Athletic organization, KZV Armenian School, and
St. Gregory Armenian church, familiarized the Prime Minister, Consul
General and Armenian Ambassador to the U.S., with the Bay Area
Armenian-American community, its history, institutions, achievements
and challenges. They also expressed the grave concern and
disappointment of the majority of community members regarding the
"Protocols" recently signed by the presidents of Armenia and Turkey,
for the establishment of diplomatic relations. The Bay Area delegation
strongly urged the Armenian government representatives to do
everything in their power to prevent ratification of the Protocols.
They explained that although they are in favor of normalizing
relations between Armenia and Turkey, the conditions written into the
Protocols (including the formation of an "historical commission" and
points relating to existing boundaries), seriously undermine Armenia's
legal rights and the viability of the Armenian state in the future,
and that they cannot lead to true reconciliation, nor a stable
relationship between the two states.
The Prime Minister spoke at length, defending the President's signing
of the Protocols, saying that they were good for Armenia; that Turkey
would recognize the Armenian Genocide of its own volition; that
Turkey's process of reforms to enter the European Union will be a
positive development for Armenia. The Prime Minister described the
normalization process as a "new reality" in regards to Turkish-
Armenian relations. The Bay Area representatives expressed their
appreciation for the opportunity to discuss their concerns,
reiterating their opposition to the current government's harmful course.
###