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CFF RESPONDS: OPEN LETTER TO HIRAIR HOVNANIAN
http://www.armenianweekly.com/2011/06/08/cff-responds-open-letter-to-hirair-hovnanian/
Wed, Jun 8 2011
Last week, Hirair Hovnanian, chairman of the Armenian Assembly of
America (AAA), addressed an open letter to Gerard L. Cafesjian,
chairman of the Cafesjian Family Foundation (CFF) following the
recently issued final verdict in litigation between AAA and CFF. Below
is an Open Letter written by Ross Vartian, a Board member of the CFF,
to Hovnanian.
***
Hirair:
In the interest of moving forward with the project, the Cafesjian
Family Foundation (CFF) will not respond point by point to your
serial misstatements of fact. Anyone interested in an independent and
objective judicial assessment of the truth of the past decade should
review the 190-page initial verdict of Jan. 26 and the 57-page final
verdict of May 9 by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly.
With regard to your disparaging Phase I of the Yerevan Cafesjian
Center for the Arts (CCA), you are presumably unaware that the center
has become a focal point of artistic and cultural life, a visitation
destination for foreign dignitaries, and a preferred location for
official meetings and receptions. Hopefully you will be more supportive
of CCA's Phase II plans to significantly expand space for collections
of other patrons and more broadly for even greater opportunities for
artistic and cultural expression, appreciation, and education. The
"Cascade" project will never be complete as it will always be evolving
and growing, and the Cafesjian Family Foundation will continue support
for CCA as one of its core missions.
Your refusal to acknowledge Gerry's crucial role in securing the
site of the future museum and memorial to the Armenian Genocide is
inexplicable. You know that Gerry provided 100 percent of the financing
and 50 percent of the funds to acquire the bank building, followed
by 100 percent of the funds to acquire the adjacent properties. The
record clearly shows that Gerry has never wavered in his support
for the exclusive use of these properties for genocide museum and
memorial purposes.
Before, during, and subsequent to the trial, CFF has repeatedly
committed to joining in a pan-Armenian effort to fulfill the dream of
the first ever museum and memorial in the diaspora about the fact and
ongoing consequences of the Armenian Genocide. CFF remains convinced
that our community will respond generously as soon as it is given an
opportunity to do so.
Hirair, you can make an immediate and significant contribution to
making this project a reality. Accept that a federal judge has soundly
rejected the legal case you authorized and end your appeal. Whether
or not you terminate your fruitless appeal, CFF will fulfill its
obligation to the community by inviting all to participate. It is,
after all, our community that will render the final verdict.
Sincerely,
Ross Vartian Member of the Board, Cafesjian Family Foundation
From: A. Papazian
http://www.armenianweekly.com/2011/06/08/cff-responds-open-letter-to-hirair-hovnanian/
Wed, Jun 8 2011
Last week, Hirair Hovnanian, chairman of the Armenian Assembly of
America (AAA), addressed an open letter to Gerard L. Cafesjian,
chairman of the Cafesjian Family Foundation (CFF) following the
recently issued final verdict in litigation between AAA and CFF. Below
is an Open Letter written by Ross Vartian, a Board member of the CFF,
to Hovnanian.
***
Hirair:
In the interest of moving forward with the project, the Cafesjian
Family Foundation (CFF) will not respond point by point to your
serial misstatements of fact. Anyone interested in an independent and
objective judicial assessment of the truth of the past decade should
review the 190-page initial verdict of Jan. 26 and the 57-page final
verdict of May 9 by Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly.
With regard to your disparaging Phase I of the Yerevan Cafesjian
Center for the Arts (CCA), you are presumably unaware that the center
has become a focal point of artistic and cultural life, a visitation
destination for foreign dignitaries, and a preferred location for
official meetings and receptions. Hopefully you will be more supportive
of CCA's Phase II plans to significantly expand space for collections
of other patrons and more broadly for even greater opportunities for
artistic and cultural expression, appreciation, and education. The
"Cascade" project will never be complete as it will always be evolving
and growing, and the Cafesjian Family Foundation will continue support
for CCA as one of its core missions.
Your refusal to acknowledge Gerry's crucial role in securing the
site of the future museum and memorial to the Armenian Genocide is
inexplicable. You know that Gerry provided 100 percent of the financing
and 50 percent of the funds to acquire the bank building, followed
by 100 percent of the funds to acquire the adjacent properties. The
record clearly shows that Gerry has never wavered in his support
for the exclusive use of these properties for genocide museum and
memorial purposes.
Before, during, and subsequent to the trial, CFF has repeatedly
committed to joining in a pan-Armenian effort to fulfill the dream of
the first ever museum and memorial in the diaspora about the fact and
ongoing consequences of the Armenian Genocide. CFF remains convinced
that our community will respond generously as soon as it is given an
opportunity to do so.
Hirair, you can make an immediate and significant contribution to
making this project a reality. Accept that a federal judge has soundly
rejected the legal case you authorized and end your appeal. Whether
or not you terminate your fruitless appeal, CFF will fulfill its
obligation to the community by inviting all to participate. It is,
after all, our community that will render the final verdict.
Sincerely,
Ross Vartian Member of the Board, Cafesjian Family Foundation
From: A. Papazian