Bay Area Reps meet with Armenian Prime Minister
| From: | S.F. Bay Area ANC (emaillist@ancsf.org) |
| Sent: | Thu 11/12/09 3:32 PM |
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.
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Armenian National Committee
San Francisco - Bay Area
51 Commonwealth Avenue
San Francisco, CA 94118
Tel: 415-387-3433
Fax: 415-751-0617
mail@ancsf.org
www.ancsf.org
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