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Armenian National Committee of America - Western Region
104 North Belmont Street, Suite 200
Glendale, California 91206
Phone: 818.500.1918
[email protected]
www.ancawr.org
PRESS RELEASE February 12, 2014
Contact: Elen Asatryan
Tel: 818-500-1918
Cell: 818-523-8389
HAWAII LEGISLATORS REJECT AZERBAIJANI RESOLUTIONS
Key Committee Blocks Baku's Bid to Secure Adoption of Anti-Armenian Measures
"Today was a win for not only us Armenians, but for others who are in
the minority. For the people, by the people - this is the way our
legislative process should work. Let the truth prevail." - Ani
Martirosian
HONOLULU, HI - The Hawaii legislature publicly debated and then
rejected a pair of Azerbaijan-initiated anti-Armenian measures,
dealing a high-profile setback to Baku's well-funded effort to enlist
U.S. state legislatures in its increasingly aggressive campaign
against Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh, reported the Armenian National
Committee of America - Western Region (ANCA-WR).
"We want to thank Aloha State legislators, long known for their
commitment to tolerance and human rights, for their wisdom in blocking
Baku's efforts to manipulate Hawaii and take advantage of the good
name of her citizens," said Executive Director of ANCA Western Region
Elen Asatryan. "Today's vote sends a powerful signal that Azerbaijan's
corrupt and undemocratic President Ilham Aliyev - despite all the
millions he's spending on 'caviar diplomacy'- doesn't get a vote here
in America and certainly doesn't deserve the right to buy influence in
the U.S. government," added Asatryan.
The Hawaii House of Representatives Committee on Veterans, Military, &
International Affairs, & Culture and the Arts rejected the two
anti-Armenian resolutions during their committee hearing earlier today
at the State Capitol, despite the ardent efforts of Committee Chairman
Mark Takei, who was an author of the bills. Both profoundly biased
and factually flawed measures were reportedly introduced at the
bequest of the Azerbaijani government, a major breach of diplomatic
protocol, confirmed publicly by State Rep. Rida Cabanilla, who was
quoted in "Civil Beat," a Hawaii publication, as saying that: "The
resolutions came from Elin Suleymanov, Azerbaijan's ambassador to the
United States."
"Civil Beat" further reported that Hawaiians looking for the reasoning
behind the introduction of such unlikely resolutions in the State of
Hawaii may look trips taken to Baku last May by Reps. Cabanilla and
Chairman Takai, who joined more than 300 others from the U.S. at the
U.S.-Azerbaijan Convention, courtesy of the Republic of Azerbaijan
which spent nearly $8,000 for the two legislators' visit.
When he was questioned about the trip last summer, Chairman Takai
said, "There's nothing in the Legislature now that would directly
benefit Azerbaijan, so it passes the ethics concern." This contention
was clearly unfounded, as the measures under consideration today
clearly would have, if passed, directly benefited Azerbaijan.
Despite the resources expended on the measure by the Azerbaijani
government, the most persuasive voices of the day belonged to three
members of the local Armenian American community, including: Arpine
Philian Mar, an 82 year-old retiree, Arthur Martirosian, and Ani
Martirosian, an active community leader who was instrumental in
organizing her fellow citizens to speak out on these measures.
Martirosian's video testimony is available here:
http://youtu.be/tXQv5YZORwE
Following the hearing, during which she had delivered a compelling,
comprehensive, and persuasive argument before the Committee, Ani
Martirosian said, "I'd like this to be an example for all Armenians -
and other underrepresented groups - around the world that our voices
do matter. We must stay vigilant to recognize the attempts made to
falsify our history, and we need to then take peaceful and meaningful
action to counter with the truth. Today was a win for not only us
Armenians, but others who are in the minority. For the people, by the
people - this is the way our legislative process should work. Let the
truth prevail."
They were joined by a self-identified neutral, Dr. Alexander Telnov,
who spoke in a very balanced and forceful way in opposition of the
resolutions. "The spirit of 'aloha' that we carry throughout the
world is completely foreign to Azerbaijan," argued Telnov, who went on
to detail the high levels of corruption within the Aliyev regime.
Noting that the Azerbaijani government spends millions for political
lobbying in the United States, while Armenia spends none, he went on
to query, "Why do you need to spend so much money to prove your point?
That's because your point is not credible. That's because the
opinions Azerbaijan is trying to instill in the United States and
other countries are distortions and untruths."
At the beginning of the hearing, Chairman Takai appeared confident
about the passage of both resolutions. However, after the Committee
members took a break to privately discuss the pending legislation,
Takai conceded that H.R. 13 would be deferred (not passed). The
committee Chairman had unsuccessfully suggested to his fellow
committee members that in light of the fact that Hawaii had adopted an
Armenia-Hawaii friendship resolution in 2012 and an Armenian Genocide
commemoration resolution in 2009, the pro-Azeri resolutions should
also be adopted in order to be impartial. Moments later, the Chairman
announced that they had also decided to defer H.R. 9.
In the days leading up to the Committee hearing, hundreds had
submitted letters and testimony opposing both legislations, including
the ANCA Western Region, whose testimony is available here:
http://ancawr.org/2014/02/11/anca-wr-submits-testimonies-opposing-h-r-no-9-and-h-r-13/
ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian issued an open letter to all
U.S. state legislatures earlier this week urging them to take as stand
against foreign interference in American civic life by corrupt
Azerbaijani dictator Ilham Aliyev. "It is truly a tribute to our
great American democratic tradition that even a regime as flagrantly
corrupt as Ilham Aliyev's is allowed to operate freely within our open
society, " explained Hamparian. "But that does not mean that American
citizens need to remain silent in the face of meddling by foreign
leaders who neither respect our rights nor share our values --
especially when they try to export their intolerance to our shores."
The Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region is the
largest and most influential Armenian American grassroots advocacy
organization in the Western United States. Working in coordination
with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the
Western United States and affiliated organizations around the country,
the ANCA-WR advances the concerns of the Armenian American community
on a broad range of issues.
###
104 North Belmont Street, Suite 200
Glendale, California 91206
Phone: 818.500.1918
[email protected]
www.ancawr.org
PRESS RELEASE February 12, 2014
Contact: Elen Asatryan
Tel: 818-500-1918
Cell: 818-523-8389
HAWAII LEGISLATORS REJECT AZERBAIJANI RESOLUTIONS
Key Committee Blocks Baku's Bid to Secure Adoption of Anti-Armenian Measures
"Today was a win for not only us Armenians, but for others who are in
the minority. For the people, by the people - this is the way our
legislative process should work. Let the truth prevail." - Ani
Martirosian
HONOLULU, HI - The Hawaii legislature publicly debated and then
rejected a pair of Azerbaijan-initiated anti-Armenian measures,
dealing a high-profile setback to Baku's well-funded effort to enlist
U.S. state legislatures in its increasingly aggressive campaign
against Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh, reported the Armenian National
Committee of America - Western Region (ANCA-WR).
"We want to thank Aloha State legislators, long known for their
commitment to tolerance and human rights, for their wisdom in blocking
Baku's efforts to manipulate Hawaii and take advantage of the good
name of her citizens," said Executive Director of ANCA Western Region
Elen Asatryan. "Today's vote sends a powerful signal that Azerbaijan's
corrupt and undemocratic President Ilham Aliyev - despite all the
millions he's spending on 'caviar diplomacy'- doesn't get a vote here
in America and certainly doesn't deserve the right to buy influence in
the U.S. government," added Asatryan.
The Hawaii House of Representatives Committee on Veterans, Military, &
International Affairs, & Culture and the Arts rejected the two
anti-Armenian resolutions during their committee hearing earlier today
at the State Capitol, despite the ardent efforts of Committee Chairman
Mark Takei, who was an author of the bills. Both profoundly biased
and factually flawed measures were reportedly introduced at the
bequest of the Azerbaijani government, a major breach of diplomatic
protocol, confirmed publicly by State Rep. Rida Cabanilla, who was
quoted in "Civil Beat," a Hawaii publication, as saying that: "The
resolutions came from Elin Suleymanov, Azerbaijan's ambassador to the
United States."
"Civil Beat" further reported that Hawaiians looking for the reasoning
behind the introduction of such unlikely resolutions in the State of
Hawaii may look trips taken to Baku last May by Reps. Cabanilla and
Chairman Takai, who joined more than 300 others from the U.S. at the
U.S.-Azerbaijan Convention, courtesy of the Republic of Azerbaijan
which spent nearly $8,000 for the two legislators' visit.
When he was questioned about the trip last summer, Chairman Takai
said, "There's nothing in the Legislature now that would directly
benefit Azerbaijan, so it passes the ethics concern." This contention
was clearly unfounded, as the measures under consideration today
clearly would have, if passed, directly benefited Azerbaijan.
Despite the resources expended on the measure by the Azerbaijani
government, the most persuasive voices of the day belonged to three
members of the local Armenian American community, including: Arpine
Philian Mar, an 82 year-old retiree, Arthur Martirosian, and Ani
Martirosian, an active community leader who was instrumental in
organizing her fellow citizens to speak out on these measures.
Martirosian's video testimony is available here:
http://youtu.be/tXQv5YZORwE
Following the hearing, during which she had delivered a compelling,
comprehensive, and persuasive argument before the Committee, Ani
Martirosian said, "I'd like this to be an example for all Armenians -
and other underrepresented groups - around the world that our voices
do matter. We must stay vigilant to recognize the attempts made to
falsify our history, and we need to then take peaceful and meaningful
action to counter with the truth. Today was a win for not only us
Armenians, but others who are in the minority. For the people, by the
people - this is the way our legislative process should work. Let the
truth prevail."
They were joined by a self-identified neutral, Dr. Alexander Telnov,
who spoke in a very balanced and forceful way in opposition of the
resolutions. "The spirit of 'aloha' that we carry throughout the
world is completely foreign to Azerbaijan," argued Telnov, who went on
to detail the high levels of corruption within the Aliyev regime.
Noting that the Azerbaijani government spends millions for political
lobbying in the United States, while Armenia spends none, he went on
to query, "Why do you need to spend so much money to prove your point?
That's because your point is not credible. That's because the
opinions Azerbaijan is trying to instill in the United States and
other countries are distortions and untruths."
At the beginning of the hearing, Chairman Takai appeared confident
about the passage of both resolutions. However, after the Committee
members took a break to privately discuss the pending legislation,
Takai conceded that H.R. 13 would be deferred (not passed). The
committee Chairman had unsuccessfully suggested to his fellow
committee members that in light of the fact that Hawaii had adopted an
Armenia-Hawaii friendship resolution in 2012 and an Armenian Genocide
commemoration resolution in 2009, the pro-Azeri resolutions should
also be adopted in order to be impartial. Moments later, the Chairman
announced that they had also decided to defer H.R. 9.
In the days leading up to the Committee hearing, hundreds had
submitted letters and testimony opposing both legislations, including
the ANCA Western Region, whose testimony is available here:
http://ancawr.org/2014/02/11/anca-wr-submits-testimonies-opposing-h-r-no-9-and-h-r-13/
ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian issued an open letter to all
U.S. state legislatures earlier this week urging them to take as stand
against foreign interference in American civic life by corrupt
Azerbaijani dictator Ilham Aliyev. "It is truly a tribute to our
great American democratic tradition that even a regime as flagrantly
corrupt as Ilham Aliyev's is allowed to operate freely within our open
society, " explained Hamparian. "But that does not mean that American
citizens need to remain silent in the face of meddling by foreign
leaders who neither respect our rights nor share our values --
especially when they try to export their intolerance to our shores."
The Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region is the
largest and most influential Armenian American grassroots advocacy
organization in the Western United States. Working in coordination
with a network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the
Western United States and affiliated organizations around the country,
the ANCA-WR advances the concerns of the Armenian American community
on a broad range of issues.
###