PRESS RELEASE
HERITAGE PARTY
7 Vazgen Sargsian Street
Yerevan 375033, Armenia
Tel: (+374 – 10) 580.877
Fax: (+374 – 10) 52.48.46
E-mail: HeritageParty@yahoo.com

May 30, 2005

HERITAGE HOLDS PARTY CONGRESS, ELECTS HOVANNISIAN

Yerevan, May 30 – HERITAGE, a national liberal party, held its third
congress at the government conference facility here today.

Attended by 700 delegates from Yerevan and across Armenia, officials
from the foreign diplomatic corps, media representatives and invited
guests, the convention elected Raffi K. Hovannisian, the Republic’s
first minister of foreign affairs, as its chairman.

The newly elected executive board comprises high school principal
Anahit Bakhshian; former minister of state Hratch Hakobian; law
professor Hrair Tovmasian; theology professor Vardan Khatchatrian;
Health and Humanitarian Assistance Center director Anania Maghakian;
teacher and Artsakh war veteran Davit Badalian; airline executive
Gevorg Kalenchian; and economics professor Zoya Tadevosian.

The day’s agenda included an invocation by Father Haikazun Mkrtchian
of the Armenian Apostolic Church; a moment of silence in tribute to
Armenia’s fallen heroes; greetings by academician Rafael Ghazarian,
People’s party chairman Stepan Demirchian, Republic party chairman Aram
Sargsian, Progressive Liberal party chairman Hovhannes Hovhannisian,
National Democratic party chairman Shavarsh Kocharian, Socialist
Union chairman Ashot Manucharian, and Self-Determination Union
chairman Paruir Hairikian; the adoption of HERITAGE’s charter,
program, and proclamation; and the election of its constitutional
and audit commissions.

Raffi Hovannisian’s “state of the state” address noted the presence
of war hero General Arkadiy Ter-Tadevosian, world-renowned conductor
Ohan Durian, and boxing champion Israel Hakobkokhian; offered the
connection between the Armenian nation’s past heritage and future
legacy; set forth the priority benchmarks of state sovereignty,
national unity, civil liberty, and the rule of law; identified the
key challenges of the country’s domestic and international life;
introduced a ten-point plan for resolution and peace in Karabagh and
the broader neighborhood; discussed the pivotal need for the greater
good to regulate Turkish-Armenian relations based on an assumption
of history; and called for an immediate nationwide transformation
of state and society based on true democracy, citizen’s rights,
and national security.

Founded in 2003, HERITAGE has local chapters throughout the land. Its
main office is located at 7 Vazgen Sargsian Street, Yerevan 375001,
Armenia, with telephone contact at (374-10)580.877, fax at 543.897,
and email at HeritageParty@yahoo.com. The complete Armenian transcript
of Hovannisian’s speech can be accessed via