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CALIF. SPEAKER PEREZ, DELEGATION VISIT DZIDZERNAGAPERT
http://asbarez.com/114010/calif-speaker-perez-delegation-visit-dzidzernagapert/
Wednesday, September 18th, 2013
California State Assembly delegation at Dzidzerbnagapert with Speaker
Perez at far right
YEREVAN (Yerkir Media)-A delegation of state and local officials
currently visiting Armenia and headed by California State Assembly
Speaker John Perez visited the Dzidzernagapert memorial monument
and paid respects to the memory of the 1.5 million victims of the
Armenian Genocide.
The delegation is being accompanied by leaders of the Armenian National
Committee of America-Western Region.
The visitors toured the grounds as well as the Armenian Genocide
Museum, where they wrote individual messages in the memorial book,
emphasizing the importance of international recognition of the Armenian
Genocide as an important precondition for prevention of such acts.
"This trip, especially this pilgrimage to Dzidzernagapert is very
emotional for me," said Speaker Perez. "My colleague is Armenian and
his family is from Kharpert. When we saw the Kharpert emblem (on the
map in the museum) we became very emotional. It is important for the
all countries of the world to recognize the Genocide and find the
way to justice."
"The last time I was here was six years ago, and now I am very saddened
because my memories of childhood are still fresh," said Assemblymember
Katcho Achadjian who is part of the delegation.
"What me and my contemporaries remember, our future generations are
going to see in this museum. This is where the pages of history,
from which we should take lessons, are being preserved."
The Perez-led delegation also includes Assemblymembers Katcho Achajian,
Cheryl R. Brown, Adrin Nazarian and Scott Wilk. A Los Angeles City
Council delegation also visiting Armenia includes Bob Blumenfield
and Paul Krekorian and staff.
The ANCA-WR representatives accompanying the delegations are board
chairwoman Nora Hovsepian and Executive Director Elen Asatryan.
The delegation was hosted on Tuesday at the Armenia Parliament by
its Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan.
"I am happy that can I host the delegation of the legislative body
of California, the Motherland of one of the biggest economically most
powerful and biggest community of the Armenian Diaspora of the United
States of America, where there are also legislators of Armenian origin
Khacho Achajian and Adrin Nazarian," said Abrahamyan.
"Today the parliamentary diplomacy has a big role not only in
the development of multilateral, but also inter-state relations,"
said Abrahamyan, adding that the cooperation of Armenia's National
Assembly and California Assembly District will turn into cooperation
with multilateral format.
Speaker Perez expressed his conviction that their visit would
promote the deepening of bilateral cooperation in different fields,
the activation and development of inter-parliamentary relations. He
deemed important the development of mutually beneficial cooperation
in the spheres of economy, culture, science, education.
Perez highlighted the role of the Armenian community in the political,
economic, cultural and scientific-educational life of California.
In the course of the meeting the sides touched upon the settlement of
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Armenian-Turkish relations, regional
external political developments. Presenting the process of peaceful
settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.
"The Republic of Armenia has constantly expressed its constructive
position in favor of solving the conflict only through peaceful means,
on the basis of three internationally recognized principles within the
framework of the OSCE Minsk Group. The People of Artsakh has won its
right of living free and should not be ignored by the international
community," said Abarahamyan.
The sides also discussed the impending 100th anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide with Abrahamyan emphasizing that that recognition and
condemnation of the Armenian Genocide by the international community
is the best guarantee of preventing such crimes.
He also commended the State of California and its legislature for
recognizing the Armenian Genocide.
Speaker Perez said the state plans to hold large-scale events in
connection with the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.
Abrahamyan awarded Perez with National Assembly's Medal of Honor for
his efforts in development of inter-parliamentary relations between the
California State Assembly and the Armenian Parliament, as well as for
the huge contribution in strengthening of Armenian-American relations.
http://asbarez.com/114010/calif-speaker-perez-delegation-visit-dzidzernagapert/
Wednesday, September 18th, 2013
California State Assembly delegation at Dzidzerbnagapert with Speaker
Perez at far right
YEREVAN (Yerkir Media)-A delegation of state and local officials
currently visiting Armenia and headed by California State Assembly
Speaker John Perez visited the Dzidzernagapert memorial monument
and paid respects to the memory of the 1.5 million victims of the
Armenian Genocide.
The delegation is being accompanied by leaders of the Armenian National
Committee of America-Western Region.
The visitors toured the grounds as well as the Armenian Genocide
Museum, where they wrote individual messages in the memorial book,
emphasizing the importance of international recognition of the Armenian
Genocide as an important precondition for prevention of such acts.
"This trip, especially this pilgrimage to Dzidzernagapert is very
emotional for me," said Speaker Perez. "My colleague is Armenian and
his family is from Kharpert. When we saw the Kharpert emblem (on the
map in the museum) we became very emotional. It is important for the
all countries of the world to recognize the Genocide and find the
way to justice."
"The last time I was here was six years ago, and now I am very saddened
because my memories of childhood are still fresh," said Assemblymember
Katcho Achadjian who is part of the delegation.
"What me and my contemporaries remember, our future generations are
going to see in this museum. This is where the pages of history,
from which we should take lessons, are being preserved."
The Perez-led delegation also includes Assemblymembers Katcho Achajian,
Cheryl R. Brown, Adrin Nazarian and Scott Wilk. A Los Angeles City
Council delegation also visiting Armenia includes Bob Blumenfield
and Paul Krekorian and staff.
The ANCA-WR representatives accompanying the delegations are board
chairwoman Nora Hovsepian and Executive Director Elen Asatryan.
The delegation was hosted on Tuesday at the Armenia Parliament by
its Speaker Hovik Abrahamyan.
"I am happy that can I host the delegation of the legislative body
of California, the Motherland of one of the biggest economically most
powerful and biggest community of the Armenian Diaspora of the United
States of America, where there are also legislators of Armenian origin
Khacho Achajian and Adrin Nazarian," said Abrahamyan.
"Today the parliamentary diplomacy has a big role not only in
the development of multilateral, but also inter-state relations,"
said Abrahamyan, adding that the cooperation of Armenia's National
Assembly and California Assembly District will turn into cooperation
with multilateral format.
Speaker Perez expressed his conviction that their visit would
promote the deepening of bilateral cooperation in different fields,
the activation and development of inter-parliamentary relations. He
deemed important the development of mutually beneficial cooperation
in the spheres of economy, culture, science, education.
Perez highlighted the role of the Armenian community in the political,
economic, cultural and scientific-educational life of California.
In the course of the meeting the sides touched upon the settlement of
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict, Armenian-Turkish relations, regional
external political developments. Presenting the process of peaceful
settlement of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.
"The Republic of Armenia has constantly expressed its constructive
position in favor of solving the conflict only through peaceful means,
on the basis of three internationally recognized principles within the
framework of the OSCE Minsk Group. The People of Artsakh has won its
right of living free and should not be ignored by the international
community," said Abarahamyan.
The sides also discussed the impending 100th anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide with Abrahamyan emphasizing that that recognition and
condemnation of the Armenian Genocide by the international community
is the best guarantee of preventing such crimes.
He also commended the State of California and its legislature for
recognizing the Armenian Genocide.
Speaker Perez said the state plans to hold large-scale events in
connection with the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.
Abrahamyan awarded Perez with National Assembly's Medal of Honor for
his efforts in development of inter-parliamentary relations between the
California State Assembly and the Armenian Parliament, as well as for
the huge contribution in strengthening of Armenian-American relations.