Armenian Assembly of America
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PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 17, 2004
CONTACT: Christine Kojoian
E-mail: ckojoian@aaainc.org

ASSEMBLY BOARD OF DIRECTORS CHAIRMAN BARSAMIAN ARRIVES IN YEREVAN

Washington, DC – Armenian Assembly Board of Directors Chairman Anthony
Barsamian arrived in Yerevan June 17 for a 10-day visit to Armenia, Nagorno
Karabakh and Georgia for high-level meetings with government officials.

Barsamian, together with Assembly Country Director for Armenia and Nagorno
Karabakh Arpi Vartanian, is scheduled to meet with Presidents Robert
Kocharian and Arkady Ghoukasian, as well as members of their
administrations, to continue discussions on the economic and security
elements of the U.S.-Armenia and U.S.-Karabakh relationships.

Before his departure, Barsamian said: “The Assembly values our ongoing open
exchanges with Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh. I look forward to a busy and
productive week.”

Barsamian will also meet U.S. Embassy officials in Yerevan before traveling
to Georgia for talks with President Mikhail Saakashvili, Prime Minister
Zurab Zhvania and Foreign Minister Salome Zourabichvili. Those discussions
will include the U.S./ Georgia/ Armenia relationships and center on
Tbilisi’s plans for Javahk, a region in southern Georgia populated largely
by Armenians.

Last month, a five-member Assembly delegation, headed by Assembly Board of
Trustees Chairman Hirair Hovnanian, took part in the Armenian Foreign
Ministry’s Conference highlighting the country’s foreign policy objectives,
then attended U.S. Ambassador John Ordway’s continuing series of roundtable
talks with Diasporan leaders. Trustee representative Jirair Haratunian,
Board of Directors Vice Chair Lisa Esayian, Executive Director Ross Vartian
and Country Director for Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh Arpi Vartanian were in
attendance.

And this week Barsamian headed an Assembly delegation that conferred once
again with Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian during his three-day official
visit to Washington, DC.

The Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based nationwide
organization promoting public understanding and awareness of Armenian
issues. It is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership organization.

NR#2004-055