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WATERTOWN, Mass.–Armen Rustamian, a leading
member of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation’s Supreme
Council in Armenia is touring East Coast Armenian-American
communities and will be visiting congressional and other U.S.
government representatives in the coming days, announced the ARF
Eastern US Central Committee
Rustamyan is also a member of Armenia’s
National Assembly, serving as chairman of its Standing Committee
on Foreign Relations. During his visit, he will discuss a wide
range of issues tied to Armenia’s foreign policy and will
reiterate the ARF’s continued opposition to the Armenia-Turkey
protocols.
Rustamyan arrived in Washington, D.C. on Dec.
9 for a full day of meetings with congressional representatives.
During these meetings, he emphasized the dangers underlying the
Armenia-Turkey protocols, and their use by the government of
Turkey to impose preconditions that are detrimental to Armenian
national interests.
Among the members of Congress Rustamyan met
with was Rep. Howard Berman (D-Calif.), the chairman of the
House Committee on Foreign Affairs. Rustamyan wrote to Berman in
March 2009, just prior to the April announcement of the
“roadmap” that led to the Armenia-Turkey protocols. “Taking into
account that the United States has not yet officially recognized
the Armenian Genocide, Turkey makes its status more and more
inflexible in the resolution of Armenian-Turkish relations,”
Rustamyan said. “I am sure that the U.S. recognition of the
Armenian Genocide will not become an obstacle to
Armenian-Turkish relations, it will contribute to their
improvement.”
Today, his words ring prophetic as the
protocols have since been used as a sword by Turkey to block
U.S. recognition of the genocide, to force Armenia to recognize
its current illegal border with Turkey, and to push Armenia
toward resolving the Karabagh issue in a manner that denies its
people their right to self-determination.
The protocols are currently before Armenia’s
Constitutional Court. Rustamyan stated earlier this month that
the ARF considers the protocols illegal under Armenia’s
constitution, and that the court has every reason to consider
them invalid.
After meeting with members of Congress,
Rustamyan will meet with National Security Council
representatives and conclude his day by giving a community
lecture hosted by the ARF of Greater Washington.
On Thurs., Dec. 10, Rustamyan will meet with
representatives of the Nagorno Karabagh Republic. Additional
meetings are planned with administration officials and with
members of Congress, including House Armenian Issues Caucus
co-chair Frank Pallone (D-N.J.). Rustamyan will then travel to
Philadelphia to attend a community reception hosted by the
Philadelphia ARF.
On Fri., Dec. 11, Rustamyan will meet with
representatives of the Providence ARF and attend briefings at
the Rhode Island State House. On his way to Boston, Rustamyan
will stop for a visit at Camp Haiastan in Franklin, Mass., and
will speak at a public meeting hosted by the Boston ARF at 7:30
p.m. at the Armenian Cultural and Educational Center (ACEC) in
Watertown.
Rustumyan’s tour will conclude on Sun., Dec.
13 after meeting with ARF New Jersey members and speaking at the
New York ARF’s 119th anniversary celebration.
For more information about Rustamyan’s East
Coast visit, contact the ARF Central Committee office by calling
(617) 926-3685 or emailing
arfccer@hairenik.com.
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