Announcement by 3 Political Parties on President Sarksian’s Visit to Los Angeles

We find the visit by Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian to important Diaspora communities to consult on the already agreed upon protocols on the establishment and development of relations between Armenia and Turkey to be late and moot.

It is unfortunate that because of his foreign policy and defeatists approaches to our national issues, the president wasted a great opportunity to elevate Armenia-Diaspora cooperation and strengthen our national unity.

The president’s plan could have been welcomed if it were prior to already approving the aforementioned protocols, which are fateful and important for our nation, and not after having already made a decision. This completely changes the nature of the visit, making it a publicity stunt, which is severely insulting to all Armenians.

Nevertheless, in the name of our martyrs and our history we are obligated to accept an invitation for a consultative meeting between the president and community organizations, which will take place prior to a gala. We will utilize this opportunity to directly convey to the president the basis for our unequivocal opposition to the protocols.

We cannot hide the fact that we have been insulted as a result of the president’s incomprehensible haste to sign these harmful documents, and on the eve of a sad chapter in our people’s history, we cannot take part in any gala honoring the president. This event will only bolster the disregard to our history, the memory of our martyrs, our national dignity and collective convictions and will diminish our national struggle.

Thus, we announced that we will not be able to accept the invitation to a gala banquet in Los Angeles.

Social Democratic Hunchakian Party US Executive Board
Armenian Revolutionary Federation Western US Central Committee
Armenian Democratic Liberal Organization (Ramkavar party) US Regional Executive