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Assembly Co-Chairs Anthony Barsamian and Van Krikorian, along with Assembly Executive Director Bryan Ardouny, met with the Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia Nikol Pashinyan, where they discussed the importance of continued dialogue between Armenia and the U.S., challenges facing Armenia, and homeland-diaspora relations.
Washington, D.C. - Earlier this month, the leadership of the Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly) met with government officials and representatives of international and non-governmental humanitarian organizations in Armenia. During the meetings, a wide range of issues and topics were discussed, including Armenia's security, increased U.S. engagement, the release of POWs, Diaspora relations, and the need for humanitarian relief, among other issues.
"Increasing and expanding U.S. engagement to support democratic Armenia and ensure its security is paramount. We continue to urge more U.S. and international delegations to travel to Armenia and Artsakh, and express our solidarity with the Armenian people," said Assembly Co-Chairs Anthony Barsamian and Van Krikorian. "Most importantly, we met with both government and opposition to discuss the need to bridge differences in support of the common goal of protecting Armenian lives and our future in Armenia and Artsakh. We feel there is no room for partisan politics when it comes to defending against another Genocide, and we greatly appreciated our reception."
Assembly Co-Chairs Anthony Barsamian and Van Krikorian, Assembly Executive Director Bryan Ardouny, Assembly Regional Director Arpi Vartanian, Assembly Congressional Relations Director Mariam Khaloyan, and Michigan State Rep. Mari Manoogian, at a meeting with President of the Republic of Armenia Vahagn Khachaturyan, where they discussed the importance of Armenia's security and its future, as well as ways the Diaspora can help strengthen U.S.-Armenia relations.
Assembly Co-Chairs Anthony Barsamian and Van Krikorian, Assembly Board of Trustees Member Herman Purutyan, Assembly Executive Director Bryan Ardouny, Assembly Congressional Relations Director Mariam Khaloyan, and Assembly Regional Director Arpi Vartanian, were joined by Michigan State Representative Mari Manoogian (D-MI) in Armenia, where they met with the President of the Republic of Armenia, Vahagn Khachaturyan, Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan, former President Serzh Sargsyan, former President Robert Kocharyan, the High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs Zareh Sinanyan, the former Human Rights Defender of Armenia Arman Tatoyan, the Secretary of the Security Council of Armenia Armen Grigoryan, International Committee of the Red Cross Director Thierry Ribaux, the Ambassador of France to Armenia Anne Louyot and Premier Conseiller Christophe Katsahian, as well as with representatives of the The HALO Trust, where demining and the clearing of cluster munitions in Armenia and Artsakh were discussed, as well as the critical need of continued U.S. assistance. Additional meetings were organized with Chip Laitinen, Deputy Chief of Mission at the Embassy of the U.S. in Yerevan, Armenia, John Allelo, Mission Director of USAID/Armenia, and His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians, in addition to attending the annual AGBU General Assembly. The Assembly delegation also visited Yerablur and Tsisternakaberd in honor of the fallen soldiers and Armenian Genocide martyrs.
Assembly Co-Chair Anthony Barsamian, Assembly Congressional Relations Director Mariam Khaloyan and Assembly Executive Director Bryan Ardouny, met with the High Commissioner for Diaspora Affairs Zareh Sinanyan, where they discussed the importance of upholding human rights and condemning Azerbaijan's human rights violations, along with the decisive action of the U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi's historic visit to Armenia.
The Armenian Assembly of America Executive Director Bryan Ardouny, Regional Director Arpi Vartanian, Congressional Relations Director Mariam Khaloyan, Michigan State Representative Mari Manoogian, met with the International Committee of the Red Cross Director, Thierry Ribaux in Yerevan, Armenia, where they discussed the importance of the return of Armenian POWs, the work ICRC is doing to help mine victims, missing persons and their families, as well as communities living along the border with Azerbaijan.
Assembly Co-Chairs Anthony Barsamian and Van Krikorian, Executive Director Bryan Ardouny, Regional Director Arpi Vartanian, Congressional Relations Director Mariam Khaloyan, and Michigan State Representative Mari Manoogian met with the former Human Rights Defender of Armenia Arman Tatoyan during their working trip to Armenia.
The Assembly delegation meets with the former President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan.
Assembly Board Member Herman Purutyan, Assembly Co-Chair Anthony Barsamian, former President of Armenia Robert Kocharyan, Assembly Co-Chair Van Krikorian, and Assembly Regional Director Arpi Vartanian.
Assembly Co-Chair Anthony Barsamian and Assembly Regional Director Arpi Vartanian in consultations with the Ambassador of France to Armenia Anne Louyot and Premier Conseiller Christophe Katsahian.
During the working trip, Assembly Executive Director Bryan Ardouny was interviewed by CivilNet's Emilio Cricchio, where he discussed efforts to increase U.S. security assistance to Armenia, and the importance of Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act, among other issues.
Established in 1972, the Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based nationwide organization promoting public understanding and awareness of Armenian issues. The Assembly is a non-partisan, 501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership organization.
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