The Report of the Community of the Western United States
To the Armenia-Diaspora Conference
Yerevan, September 23, 1999
Delivered by Asbed Bedrossian, in Armenian.
Honorable Presidents, Prime Ministers,
Reverend Clergy and dear delegates,
As with all Armenians, The community of the Western U.S. also
greets this conference as an effort unique in kind, which endeavors
to bring together all the social and political organizations,
various trends, and layers of intelligentsia operating in the
sphere of Armenian activities. It is our expectation that by
bringing forth a variety of thoughts and approaches, it will be
possible to underline the common interests we are bound together
with, to reinforce these commonalities, and where possible, to find
new possibilities and increase momentum towards solutions for
pan-Armenian issues. To be realistic, we must accept that a single
conference cannot solve all pan-Armenian problems, but we believe
deeply that this conference is only the beginning of this positive
process. In this, not only do we have great faith, but we are also
armed with equivalent determination.
In the past ten years, The Armenian community of the Western U.S.
proved on multiple occasions that the pursuit of the inalienable
rights of Armenians is a top priority. In this sphere, we supported
Artsakh's just cause with fundraisers, and public and political
advocacy at the state and national level. Through multiple public
fundraisers, telethons, by inviting political figures from Artsakh
and Armenia and putting them directly in touch with the community,
through the Internet, newspaper publications and other media, we
have succeeded in raising the level of political consciousness of
our community and making the struggle for Artsakh part of its
daily concern. It is up to us to support Artsakh's right to
self-determination, and to continue our aid to the government of
the Nagorno Karabakh Republic.
Dear colleagues, the issue of double-citizenship is a matter of
high urgency for the Armenian community of the Western U.S also. We
propose to improve the constitution of the Republic of Armenia in a
manner empowering the cultivation of a clear law on double-citizenship,
through which each Diasporan-Armenian has the possibility of becoming
a proud citizen of the Republic of Armenia, subject to all the
supposed dispositions of such a law. An Armenian living in the
Diaspora, armed with Armenian citizenship, with the ability to
receive this citizenship, will feel his Armenian identity and
belonging emphasized. His bond with the homeland will gain new
meaning and weight, and will transcend the boundaries of mere moral
value.
A positive solution to this issue will also have the beneficial
effect of strengthening the Armenian economy. During the past
decades Armenia enjoyed a strong industrial and export
infrastructure. Today, we expect that our homeland will create
circumstances conducive for the return of the trained manpower that
has emigrated, in order to help flourish an economy and industry
built upon the already existing scientific-technical base. The
Diaspora can help in this process, and within this framework, the
community of the Western U.S. also. It is necessary to study all
existing possibilities, and also all paths towards the strengthening
of the economies of Armenia and Artsakh. In this regard, the
community of the Western U.S. expresses its full support for the
projects and efforts of the "Hayastan" all-Armenian fund. Also,
through the United Armenian Fund, our community continues to offer
humanitarian aid of a unique nature.
The foundation of all these processes, however, is the law and
lawfulness. The sooner Armenia is indentified as a country where
the Rule of Law is supreme, the sooner international confidence
will grow in its structures. In this regard, it is our expectation
that everyone should be equal in front of the law, and that nobody
should be considered above the law. Unlawful behavior and
criminality must be uprooted from Armenia. The law must be
considered above all personal preferences. When we conquer this
stage, problems and hurdles which today appear without solution
will disappear automatically.
In the political arena, the recognition of The Genocide has so far
been left up to the Diaspora alone. Today, new realities dictate new
methods of operation to us. As American-Armenians we have, during
the past years, seriously advanced and continue to advance the work
towards the official recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the
authorities of the United States. We believe that, once the
Armenian Genocide becomes one of the strategic cornerstones of
Armenia's foreign policy, a solution for this problem with
international significance will be greatly facilitated, and our
efforts will receive fresh impetus.
Neither do we feel ambivalent about the issue of Artsakh, which is
one of the links in the Armenian Cause. Nagorno Karabakh is an
inseparable part of the cradle of the Armenian homeland. Artificial
borders drawn by foreign dictators have de-facto been reversed
today. This correction, however, must also be legitimized by
international law. Our brothers and sisters living in Artsakh
expressed their will in a public referendum eight years ago, and it
is up to us to stand in support of their choice unreservedly and
with all our resources, so that nobody thinks about passing
judgement against the right to self-determination of the Armenian
Republic of Nagorno Karabakh.
The Armenian Cause is a complex and multilevel political issue, to
which end, the imperative to reconcile and complement the political
paths of Armenia and the Diaspora is now on the Armenian political
agenda. The work to advance the Armenian Cause has different nature
in each country and requires different tactics. Faced with this
reality, Armenia and the Diaspora find themselves faced with the
necessity to complement each other's work. Today, the Armenian
political system must be capable of distributing duties between
Yerevan and the different Diasporan communities. For example, in
the case of American Armenians, the cooperation of representatives
of the Armenian Republic and the Armenian lobby to achieve levers
with influential American political circles.
Honorable colleagues, Armenians from the Western U.S. once again
greet this conference, as a preliminary step towards the creation
of a natural forum for pan-Armenian agendae. It rests upon us all
to create favorable atmosphere and grounds for the benefit of
positive solutions to the problems which lie ahead of us. Towards
this, we remain motivated and accountable.
Thank you,
Los Angeles,
September 1999
Translated to English by Asbed Bedrossian.