Hay Dat expands activities

Editorial

Yerkir/arm
3 June 05

Armenian Revolutionary Federation’s (ARF) Hay Dat Central Council
opens in Yerevan on June 4. Hay Dat has offices in Washington,
Brussels, and Moscow.

The latest addition was the Beirut office, opened last year, to pursue
the Hay Dat goals in the Middle East. Over 30 local and regional
committees operate across the globe. The Central Council comprises the
representatives of the mentioned offices, as well as representatives
from Artsakh, Javakhk and Armenia.

ARF Bureau members Karo Armenian and Hakop Ter-Khachatrian shared
their views with Yerkir on the coming forum, the works of the offices
and committees, as well as the results of the Hay Dat conference held
in Yerevan in 2003.

Touching upon the 2003 conference, Karo Armenian noted that it helped
better understand the tasks to be undertaken in order to keep up with
the international processes and present our views. New directions have
been adopted in the United States, Canada, Europe, Moscow and the
Middle East, and a completely new program has been put together.

The Hay Dat activities were carried out in two fields: the
international recognition of the Armenian Genocide, and supporting the
Armenian economy development process.

When asked why the economy was included in the Hay Dat agenda,
Armenian said, “It was included in our agenda because the development
of the Armenian economy greatly hinges on foreign aid and
international loans. These processes happen everywhere. We realized
that the Hay Dat offices and committees could play a substantial part
in supporting Armenia’s diplomacy.”

In his turn, Bureau member Hakop Ter-Khachatrian noted that this issue
was put on the Hay Dat agenda since Armenia’s independence as an
additional factor to support the basis of the Armenian state.

“The Hay Dat offices and committees immediately engaged in the
process, and a lot is being done today. Under the resolutions of the
ARF General Convention, the Armenian Genocide recognition is no more
the only goal of the Hay Dat. Supporting the development of the
economy became an issue of our agenda. We backed the Armenian foreign
diplomacy, in accordance to the ARF decisions, to aid Armenia as much
as we can and to reinforce its international positions,” said
Ter-Khachatrian, adding also that the voice of the Armenian
communities sound in all these processes, often having a vital role in
the policies of governments.