VARTAN OSKANIAN: DIASPORA IS MEANS OF WIDENING OUR PEOPLE’S VITAL TERRITORY
Noyan Tapan
Armenians Today
Dec 13 2006
PARIS, DECEMBER 13, NOYAN TAPAN – ARMENIANS TODAY. RA Foreign
Minister Vartan Oskanian took part on December 9-11 in Paris in the
events dedicated to the 100th anniversary of the Armenian General
Benevolent Union. As Noyan Tapan was informed by the RA Foreign
Minister’s Press and Information Department, head and representatives
of the AGBU Central Board and regional structures arrived in the
capital of France from the U.S. and a dozen of other countries
of the world to take part in the events. Minister Oskanian made a
speech at the jubilee evening party taken place at the Versailles
Castle, presenting the new priorities arisen before Diaspora and
Mother Land, the Armenian people, and his viewpoints concerning
the Armenia-Diaspora cooperation in the conditions of existence
of the Armenian independent state. "Diaspora is means for widening
the vital territory of our people, a link to multiply our cultural
heritage and to pass our knowledge to each other, a strong support
for economic and political investments with which it can take part
in awake of our country and people," V.Oskanian said. "And since
the independence of Armenia, the Armenian General Benevolent Union
has been one of our those national structures which re-estimated
the situation and was actively involved in rebuild of Armenia," the
Foreign Minister said. He expressed confidence that the coming ten
year will be a decade of continual progress for Armenia. "We have no
other choice. Just in this way we may keep the Armenian identity of
the new generation of Diaspora, proposing it democratic and prospering
Armenia which they can be identified with and proud of." Within the
framework of the events, issues relating to development of Armenia,
particularly, to programs of reconstruction of rural regions, were
discussed during separate meetings of V.Oskanian with the AGBU heads
as well as with representatives of other structures of Diaspora.