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ARF BUREAU, CENTRAL COMMITTEES MEET IN CHICAGO
Armenian Weekly
March 29, 2012
Representatives of the ARF Bureau and the Central Committees of the
Eastern and Western U.S. met in Chicago on March 18 to discuss issues
concerning Armenian Americans, the situation in the Middle East, and
the upcoming parliamentary elections in Armenia. Mgrditch Mgrditchian
from Lebanon and Hagop Der Khatchadourian from Canada represented
the Bureau.
(L-R) Hagop Der Khatchadourian, Greg Bedian, and Mgrditch Mgrditchian A
day earlier, a reception took place with the presence of the delegates
and members of Chicago's Armenian American community. Around 150
attended the event, among them spiritual leaders, members of the
Armenian Relief Society (ARS), and students.
"Krisdapor" Gomideh representative Greg Bedian gave opening remarks,
welcoming the guests. ARF Eastern Region Central Committee Chair
Antranig Kasbarian moderated the event. Der Khatchadourian then spoke
about the challenges facing Armenia on the eve of the parliamentary
elections, including its economic conditions, security concerns,
and emigration issues. He spoke about the ARF's support of the 100
percent party-list proportional representation system, adding that
those European countries that started by having plurality vote
in single-member constituencies, later switched to proportional
representation system. He also noted that the elections were a chance
for regime change.
Mgrditchian then spoke about Hai Tahd and the situation in the
Middle East. Regarding the former, he noted how in recent years, the
demand for recognition had turned into a demand for reparations. In
that context, he said the Catholicosate of Cilicia had recently
organized a conference titled, "From Recognition to Reparations,"
with the participation of both Armenian and non-Armenian legal
experts, political analysts, academics, genocide scholars, and the
representatives of various organizations. Mgrditchian also spoke about
the Syrian Armenian community and the recent parliamentary elections,
saying that one would be wrong to characterize the community as an
entity that does not exercise political will, only serving the role
of an appendage to the authorities. He also reminded the audience
of the Lebanese Armenian community's position of positive neutrality
during the Lebanese Civil War.
Armenian Weekly
March 29, 2012
Representatives of the ARF Bureau and the Central Committees of the
Eastern and Western U.S. met in Chicago on March 18 to discuss issues
concerning Armenian Americans, the situation in the Middle East, and
the upcoming parliamentary elections in Armenia. Mgrditch Mgrditchian
from Lebanon and Hagop Der Khatchadourian from Canada represented
the Bureau.
(L-R) Hagop Der Khatchadourian, Greg Bedian, and Mgrditch Mgrditchian A
day earlier, a reception took place with the presence of the delegates
and members of Chicago's Armenian American community. Around 150
attended the event, among them spiritual leaders, members of the
Armenian Relief Society (ARS), and students.
"Krisdapor" Gomideh representative Greg Bedian gave opening remarks,
welcoming the guests. ARF Eastern Region Central Committee Chair
Antranig Kasbarian moderated the event. Der Khatchadourian then spoke
about the challenges facing Armenia on the eve of the parliamentary
elections, including its economic conditions, security concerns,
and emigration issues. He spoke about the ARF's support of the 100
percent party-list proportional representation system, adding that
those European countries that started by having plurality vote
in single-member constituencies, later switched to proportional
representation system. He also noted that the elections were a chance
for regime change.
Mgrditchian then spoke about Hai Tahd and the situation in the
Middle East. Regarding the former, he noted how in recent years, the
demand for recognition had turned into a demand for reparations. In
that context, he said the Catholicosate of Cilicia had recently
organized a conference titled, "From Recognition to Reparations,"
with the participation of both Armenian and non-Armenian legal
experts, political analysts, academics, genocide scholars, and the
representatives of various organizations. Mgrditchian also spoke about
the Syrian Armenian community and the recent parliamentary elections,
saying that one would be wrong to characterize the community as an
entity that does not exercise political will, only serving the role
of an appendage to the authorities. He also reminded the audience
of the Lebanese Armenian community's position of positive neutrality
during the Lebanese Civil War.