DELEGATION HEADED BY V. OSKANIAN PARTICIPATES IN ALL-AMERICAN EVENT DEDICATED TO 15th ANNIVERSARY OF ARMENIA’S INDEPENDENCE
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Oct 23 2006
WASHINGTON, OCTOBER 23, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. The delegation
headed by the Armenian Foreign Minister Vartan Oskanian on October
21 participated in the All-American festivity dedicated to the 15th
anniversary of the independence of the Republic of Armenia. According
to a press release submitted to NT by the RA MFA Press and Information
Department, nearly 400 guests, including the heads of the Armenian
Church dioceses in the US, heads of the leading American Armenian
political, religious, cultural and charity organizations took part in
the soiree organized by the Armenian embassy in the US. The event was
attended by representatives of the organizations that have made their
contribution to the strengthening of Armenia’s independent statehood
such as the Armenian National Committee of America, the Armenian
General Benevolent Union, the Armenian Assembly of America, the
Armenian Evangelical Union of America, the Fund for Armenian Relief,
the Cafesjian Foundation. These organizations’ representatives
made warm welcomimg addresses. High-ranking officials from the
US administration, State Department and the Millennium Challenge
Agency were also present at the event. The Armenian Ambassador
to the US Tatul Margarian made am opening address. He spoke about
Armenia’s achievements in building statehood after the independence,
implementing political and economic reforms and unifying the Diaspora
around the state. Matthew Bryza, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State
for European and Eurasian Affairs, US Co-Chair of the OSCE Minsk Group,
made a speech on behalf of the US administration. He touched upon the
prospects of the Armenian-US relations and registered the friendly
links between the two states and their close cooperation 0n issues of
mutual interest. Then the principal speaker, the RA Foreign Minister
Vartan Oskanian delivered a speech. Addressing the milestone events in
the history of the Armenian people’s creating its statehood, the tragic
history of the First Republic of Armenia, the creation of independent
Armenia after the Soviet period and the path it has passed since then,
Minister Oskanian underlined the responsibility of all the Armenians
for building Armenia as an independent, democratic and prosperous
state. He appreciated the close cooperation and unity of Armenia and
the Diaspora for solution of problems facing the independent statehood,
which is the best guarantee of the establishment and strengthening
of the Armenian statehood. While in Washington, V. Oskanian met with
leaders of some American Armenian organizations. On October 22 Minister
Oskanian left for Paris, where a meeting with the Azerbaijani Foreign
Minister Elmar Mamedyarov and the co-chairs of the OSCE Minsk Group
is scheduled for October 24.