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ANDREAS BORGEAS SEEKS ARMENIAN CONSUL FOR VALLEY
By Alex Tavlian
Fresno Bee
http://www.fresnobee.com/2012/01/22/2693420/fresno-council-member-borgeas.html
Jan 22 2012
CA
Fresno City Council Member Andreas Borgeas wants the Armenian
government to appoint an honorary consul as a link between the
Central Valley's large Armenian-American community and the Middle
Eastern country.
Borgeas sent a letter Tuesday to Los Angeles-based Armenian Consul
General Grigor Hovhannissian requesting that the Republic of Armenia
appoint a Fresnan to the ceremonial position.
The position, albeit ceremonial compared to a consul general, could
provide important administrative services, such as processing visas,
for Valley Armenians.
Armenians currently get visas and other diplomatic services through
the Armenian Consulate in Los Angeles. "With [the honorary consul]
we wouldn't need to go to Los Angeles," Borgeas said. "That would be
really neat to have here."
Fresno currently has one honorary consul, Ed Fanucchi, who was
appointed by Italy, and one official consul, Reyna Torres Mendivil
of Mexico.
"Given the rich history of our Armenian community in the Valley,
it's worth exploring the possibility of having an honorary consul
serve the community," Borgeas said.
Borgeas placed one stipulation: the position would be nonpartisan
and apolitical, and the honorary consul could not advance specific
cultural affiliation or political and religious partisanship.
It's important to choose someone who would avoid serving special
interests in the local Armenian community, he said.
The honorary consul request received full support from Borgeas'
colleagues on the City Council and Mayor Ashley Swearengin, along
with Armenian community leaders.
The idea for an honorary consul, Borgeas said, came up when he was
spearheading the Fresno-Armenia Sister City exploratory committee
in 2009. Since then, the city of Fresno has increased relations with
the Republic of Armenia and its U.S.-based officials, he said.
Representatives from the Armenian Consulate in Los Angeles said the
process of appointing an honorary consul would need to be instigated
by Hovhannissian, who was unavailable for comment.
By Alex Tavlian
Fresno Bee
http://www.fresnobee.com/2012/01/22/2693420/fresno-council-member-borgeas.html
Jan 22 2012
CA
Fresno City Council Member Andreas Borgeas wants the Armenian
government to appoint an honorary consul as a link between the
Central Valley's large Armenian-American community and the Middle
Eastern country.
Borgeas sent a letter Tuesday to Los Angeles-based Armenian Consul
General Grigor Hovhannissian requesting that the Republic of Armenia
appoint a Fresnan to the ceremonial position.
The position, albeit ceremonial compared to a consul general, could
provide important administrative services, such as processing visas,
for Valley Armenians.
Armenians currently get visas and other diplomatic services through
the Armenian Consulate in Los Angeles. "With [the honorary consul]
we wouldn't need to go to Los Angeles," Borgeas said. "That would be
really neat to have here."
Fresno currently has one honorary consul, Ed Fanucchi, who was
appointed by Italy, and one official consul, Reyna Torres Mendivil
of Mexico.
"Given the rich history of our Armenian community in the Valley,
it's worth exploring the possibility of having an honorary consul
serve the community," Borgeas said.
Borgeas placed one stipulation: the position would be nonpartisan
and apolitical, and the honorary consul could not advance specific
cultural affiliation or political and religious partisanship.
It's important to choose someone who would avoid serving special
interests in the local Armenian community, he said.
The honorary consul request received full support from Borgeas'
colleagues on the City Council and Mayor Ashley Swearengin, along
with Armenian community leaders.
The idea for an honorary consul, Borgeas said, came up when he was
spearheading the Fresno-Armenia Sister City exploratory committee
in 2009. Since then, the city of Fresno has increased relations with
the Republic of Armenia and its U.S.-based officials, he said.
Representatives from the Armenian Consulate in Los Angeles said the
process of appointing an honorary consul would need to be instigated
by Hovhannissian, who was unavailable for comment.