AAA INTENDS TO UTILIZE DIASPORA POTENTIAL IN FULL, TO THE BENEFIT OF ARMENIA

PanARMENIAN.Net
05.09.2007 16:12 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ A delegation of the Armenian Assembly of Americamet
with the United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Communications and
Public Information Kiyo Akasaka this month in New York, to exchange
views on a broad scope of issues, including international peace and
security, regional development, democracy and civil society-building,
and human rights as it pertains to the South Caucasus, and Central
and Eastern Europe.

The Under-Secretary-General noted how impressed he is of Armenia’s
progress towards social and economic development since independence,
and how important the Armenian Diaspora’s contribution has been to
that effort.

The Assembly delegation, led by Board of Trustees Member Jirair
Haratunian, Executive Director Bryan Ardouny, and Director of
Research and Analysis Armen Kharazian, reiterated its interest in
sharing knowledge and expertise, within the broader UN framework,
regarding the methodology and practice of development advocacy,
in benefit of historic homelands.

"Armenia may be a small country, but the Armenian Diaspora, with
its geographic reach and organizational capacity, imparts a global
dimension to the Armenian people – a tremendous value in today’s
globalized world," said Kharazian, the Assembly’s Main Representative
to the United Nations. "The Assembly intends to utilize that potential
in full, to the benefit of Armenia and its region, as well as the
international community as a whole."

The Assembly delegation also met with Shamina de Gonzaga, Special
Advisor on NGO Relations of the Office of the President of the General
Assembly. Both meetings were requested by the Assembly, to discuss
issues of interest or concern to the Armenian-American community,
including universal affirmation of the Armenian Genocide in the light
of the growing global focus on genocide prevention and other crimes
against humanity.