The Armenian Revolutionary Federation Western United States Central Committee on Thursday issued an announcement regarding Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s visit to Los Angeles. The Central Committee met with Pashinyan Sunday evening and touch on broad topics of national concern.

Below is the text of the ARF CC’s announcement.

Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan’s visit to Los Angeles on Sunday called attention to the Armenian American community’s resilience to rise up from throes of tragedy and Genocide to become integral and interwoven participants in the advancement of the City of Los Angeles, the State of California and the United States.

The ARF Western U.S. Central Committee believes that the role of the Diaspora is much more than mere financial contributions and aid, and is a dynamic and political force championing the Armenian cause. Thus, during our meeting with the prime minister, we outlined the imperative of remaining united on national issues and the risks of creating divisions within the nation. We further emphasized that the ARF is united in its ideology and approaches to all national issues, and the Armenian diaspora has continuously joined us in our collective efforts to realize our national goals. As such we believe that it is essential to utilize the potential of our people to advance our just cause and safeguard Armenia’s national security. Within this context, we also explained that for the Diaspora, preserving the Armenian identity has not been a mere task, but rather a fundamental tenet for advancing the aspirations of the Armenian Nation in service to the strengthening of Armenia’s statehood and creating a truly free, independent and prosperous, and eventually united homeland.

The prime minister visited Los Angeles, a community that was built from the ground up by survivors of massacres, persecution and the Armenian Genocide. The ARF has played a pivotal and central role in creating vital educational, cultural and advocacy institutions that have not only preserved the Armenian identity but, for generations, have nurtured and advanced the imperative and aspiration of a free, united and independent Armenian state as the most crucial element of our Nation’s perseverance.

The ARF Western U.S. Central Committee communicated to the prime minister its steadfast and unwavering commitment to furthering an agenda that, at every step, will strengthen the Republic of Armenia, guarantee its prosperity and fortify its national security, all of which have been ideological hallmarks of the ARF during its 130-year history. To this end, we expressed hope that the prime minister’s assurances to advance social justice, reform the judiciary and combat corruption will come to fruition—while upholding Armenia’s Constitution—and pledged the ARF’s support in hastening that effort as well as our unwavering commitment to the international recognition of the Republic of Artsakh and our people’s right to self-determination.

We are confident that after the prime minister’s visit to Los Angeles, our community will rally around our national agenda and take positive steps that will translate into actionable items with concrete results to advance the Armenian Cause and elevate our nation to new heights.

ARF Western U.S. Central Committee