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POLITICAL OFFICIALS HIGHLIGHT ARF'S ROLE IN SHAPING POLICIES
Asbarez
Monday, December 6th, 2010
GLENDALE
A roundtable discussion Friday that brought together Armenian
Revolutionary Federation members, who are elected or appointed
political officials, highlighted the role the ARF plays in shaping
policy in their respective countries.
The roundtable, which attracted a standing-room only crowd of hundreds
of community members at the Armenag DerBedrossian hall at St. Mary's
Church in Glendale, was organized as part of a weekend-long series of
events marking the 120th anniversary of the ARF and featured parliament
members from Armenia, the Nargorno-Karabakh Republic (Artsakh) and
Iran, Lilit Galstyan, Armen Sargsyan and Gevork Vartanian respectively
and former minister in the Lebanese government Shahe Barsoumian.
The roundtable kicked off with opening remarks by ARF Western US
Central Committee Public Relations Office director Saro Nazarian,
who underscored the importance of bringing together legislatures and
government officials to emphasize the role the ARF plays in various
political circles and countries.
Nazarian then invited the roundtable moderator and California Courier
publisher, Harout Sassounian, who presented a brief biography of the
featured speakers upon inviting them to kick off the discussion.
In her presentation, Galstyan, who is a member of the ARF parliamentary
bloc in Armenia's National Assembly, presented an overview of the
political situation in Armenia and immediately turned her focus on
the ARF's activities following the party's decision to leave the
ruling coalition, which was prompted by the government's pursuit of
the dangerous Armenia-Turkey protocols process.
Galstyan detailed the activities of the ARF, both within parliament
and outside, to sound the alarms in Armenia of the dangers of the
protocols, explaining that the ARF's efforts resulted in mass protests
and increased opposition toward the protocols, eventually culminating
in a government decision to freeze Armenia's participation in the
process.
She also explained that the National Assembly was the stage through
which the ARF was able to impact issues of concern to the national
security of Armenia and the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, as well as
a venue where the party can bring forth discussion of the Armenia's
socio-economic, civic society and protection of human rights issues,
and address the challenges confronting Artsakh, all of which remain
priorities for the ARF and its parliamentary bloc.
Sargsyan, who leads the ARF bloc in the parliament of the
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, told the audience on the activities of
the ARF in Karabakh mirrored the heroic path set forth by the people
of Artsakh. He emphasized the leading role the ARF played in the
Karabakh liberation struggle and the critical function of the party
in current efforts to strengthen Karabakh's statehood and to preserve
the aspirations of the people of Artsakh.
Vartanian, who represents the Armenian community of northern Iran in
the Islamic Republic's legislature, provided an historical overview
of the role of Armenians in Iran, which, he said spans 2,700 years
and continues to have its beneficial impact on the country's social
development and economic prosperity.
Vartanian highlighted the role the late ARF leader Hrair Khalatian
played in the development of the main law of the Islamic Republic of
Iran, based on which Armenians were recognized as a religious minority
and as a result maintained its two seats in parliament and guaranteed
the rights of Armenians within the republic.
Following the independence of Armenia, Vartanian stressed the role the
Armenian community-especially its representatives in parliament-played
in forging a close relationship between Iran and Armenia. Throughout
the decades this relationship has grown into economic, political,
cultural and scientific cooperation between the two countries, which
has greatly advanced stability in the region.
A former minister in the Lebanese government, Barsoumian began
his presentation by highlighting the special role the Lebanese
Armenian community has played in the Diasporan reality, as well as
in advancement of Lebanon, adding that in ensuring the preservation
of the rights of the Armenian community in Lebanon the ARF has played
a critical role both within the legislature and the government.
Barsoumian also emphasized the ARF's adoption of a "positive
neutrality" approach during Lebanon's civil war-an approach supported
by other healthy Armenian political factions-not only guaranteed the
security of the Lebanese-Armenian community, but also was instrumental
in encouraging dialogue between opposing sides after the end of
the war.
During the question and answer session, community members had an
opportunity to discuss a wide-range of issues with the visiting
officials.
To see more photos from the event, visit the Asbarez Facebook page
here.
From: A. Papazian
Asbarez
Monday, December 6th, 2010
GLENDALE
A roundtable discussion Friday that brought together Armenian
Revolutionary Federation members, who are elected or appointed
political officials, highlighted the role the ARF plays in shaping
policy in their respective countries.
The roundtable, which attracted a standing-room only crowd of hundreds
of community members at the Armenag DerBedrossian hall at St. Mary's
Church in Glendale, was organized as part of a weekend-long series of
events marking the 120th anniversary of the ARF and featured parliament
members from Armenia, the Nargorno-Karabakh Republic (Artsakh) and
Iran, Lilit Galstyan, Armen Sargsyan and Gevork Vartanian respectively
and former minister in the Lebanese government Shahe Barsoumian.
The roundtable kicked off with opening remarks by ARF Western US
Central Committee Public Relations Office director Saro Nazarian,
who underscored the importance of bringing together legislatures and
government officials to emphasize the role the ARF plays in various
political circles and countries.
Nazarian then invited the roundtable moderator and California Courier
publisher, Harout Sassounian, who presented a brief biography of the
featured speakers upon inviting them to kick off the discussion.
In her presentation, Galstyan, who is a member of the ARF parliamentary
bloc in Armenia's National Assembly, presented an overview of the
political situation in Armenia and immediately turned her focus on
the ARF's activities following the party's decision to leave the
ruling coalition, which was prompted by the government's pursuit of
the dangerous Armenia-Turkey protocols process.
Galstyan detailed the activities of the ARF, both within parliament
and outside, to sound the alarms in Armenia of the dangers of the
protocols, explaining that the ARF's efforts resulted in mass protests
and increased opposition toward the protocols, eventually culminating
in a government decision to freeze Armenia's participation in the
process.
She also explained that the National Assembly was the stage through
which the ARF was able to impact issues of concern to the national
security of Armenia and the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, as well as
a venue where the party can bring forth discussion of the Armenia's
socio-economic, civic society and protection of human rights issues,
and address the challenges confronting Artsakh, all of which remain
priorities for the ARF and its parliamentary bloc.
Sargsyan, who leads the ARF bloc in the parliament of the
Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, told the audience on the activities of
the ARF in Karabakh mirrored the heroic path set forth by the people
of Artsakh. He emphasized the leading role the ARF played in the
Karabakh liberation struggle and the critical function of the party
in current efforts to strengthen Karabakh's statehood and to preserve
the aspirations of the people of Artsakh.
Vartanian, who represents the Armenian community of northern Iran in
the Islamic Republic's legislature, provided an historical overview
of the role of Armenians in Iran, which, he said spans 2,700 years
and continues to have its beneficial impact on the country's social
development and economic prosperity.
Vartanian highlighted the role the late ARF leader Hrair Khalatian
played in the development of the main law of the Islamic Republic of
Iran, based on which Armenians were recognized as a religious minority
and as a result maintained its two seats in parliament and guaranteed
the rights of Armenians within the republic.
Following the independence of Armenia, Vartanian stressed the role the
Armenian community-especially its representatives in parliament-played
in forging a close relationship between Iran and Armenia. Throughout
the decades this relationship has grown into economic, political,
cultural and scientific cooperation between the two countries, which
has greatly advanced stability in the region.
A former minister in the Lebanese government, Barsoumian began
his presentation by highlighting the special role the Lebanese
Armenian community has played in the Diasporan reality, as well as
in advancement of Lebanon, adding that in ensuring the preservation
of the rights of the Armenian community in Lebanon the ARF has played
a critical role both within the legislature and the government.
Barsoumian also emphasized the ARF's adoption of a "positive
neutrality" approach during Lebanon's civil war-an approach supported
by other healthy Armenian political factions-not only guaranteed the
security of the Lebanese-Armenian community, but also was instrumental
in encouraging dialogue between opposing sides after the end of
the war.
During the question and answer session, community members had an
opportunity to discuss a wide-range of issues with the visiting
officials.
To see more photos from the event, visit the Asbarez Facebook page
here.
From: A. Papazian