PRESS RELEASE
May 13, 2005
Embassy of the Republic of Armenia
2225 R Street, NW, Washington, DC, 20008
Tel: 202-319-1976, x. 348; Fax: 202-319-2982
Email: [email protected] ;Web:
Kansas National Guard General Meets Armenian Ambassador, Presents
Governor’s Proclamation
On May 10, 2005, Maj Gen (KS) Tod M. Bunting, the Adjutant General of
Kansas, and a delegation of senior military officials from the Kansas
National Guard visited the Embassy of Armenia to discuss the military
cooperation and the upcoming visit of State of Kansas senior officials and
Kansas National Guard to Armenia. In his capacity as Adjutant General of
Kansas, General Bunting heads the Kansas National Guard and serves as
Director of Homeland Security.
The Armed Forces of the Republic of Armenia and the State of Kansas National
Guard have established a State Partnership Program, as part of the overall
durable and constructive relationship between the Armed Forces of the United
States of America and the Republic of Armenia. The State Partnership Program
between Armenian Army and Kansas National Guard will now be complemented by
active cooperation on the civilian side as well. President of the Kansas
State Senate, members of the Kansas legislature and state executives will
visit Armenia at the end of May to discuss economic and commercial
cooperation between Kansas and Armenia.
During his meeting with Ambassador of Armenia to the U.S. Tatoul Markarian,
General Bunting formally presented the Proclamation of the Governor of
Kansas, which declared April 24, 2005 the Armenian Remembrance Day in
commemoration of the 90th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. In April,
the State of Kansas became the 38th American state to have given proper
recognition to the Armenian Genocide.
Ambassador Markarian noted the strategic importance of the cooperation
between the Kansas National Guard and Armenian Armed Forces, and hailed the
beginning of a more comperehensive relationship between Kansas and Armenia.
The Armenian Ambassador expressed his appreciation for the Governor’s
Proclamation on the Armenian Genocide.