ARMENIANS OF TORONTO MAKE STATEMENT
PanARMENIAN.NET
11.09.2009 19:19 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ More than 400 members of the Toronto Armenian
community gathered at the Armenian Community Centre on September
4 to learn more about the recently negotiated protocols for the
normalization of relations between the Republics of Turkey and Armenia
and to protect the rights of the Armenian people.
The public gathering was jointly organized by the Armenian
Revolutionary Federation "Soghomon Tehlirian" chapter, the Social
Democrat Hunchak Party Canadian Regional Executive and the Armenian
Democratic Liberal Party (Ramgavar) Canadian Regional Executive.
The gathering featured a video presentation of ARF Bureau member Hagop
Der Khatchadourian, who provided background on the protocols, expected
future developments and the risks involved in the ratification of the
protocols. Following the video presentation, the evening’s Master
of Ceremonies Hagop Tchakmakian introduced Levon Hasserjian, who
spoke about the threats posed by the protocols to the international
recognition of the Armenian Genocide, the rights of future generations
of Armenians and the continued existence of the Nagarno-Karabakh
Republic and it’s people’s right of self determination.
Following Hasserjian’s presentation, the floor was opened to
questions. The questions and comments were generally reflective of the
genuine worry of Toronto Armenians about the policies of the current
Armenian administration in pursuing relations with the Republic of
Turkey and the price that the Armenian people would pay for these
decisions. In order to ensure that the concerns of Toronto Armenians
were presented to the Armenian authorities, it was decided that a
formal protest declaration should be prepared by the attendees of
the gathering and formally presented to the government of Armenia.
After much discussion, the attendees agreed on the following
declaration: "Provisions in the Protocols indicate preconditions set
forth by Turkey and conflict with the interests of Armenia vent the
restoration of historical rights and rupture Armenians. Ratification
of the Protocols by the countries’ parliaments will be a deterrent
for Armenians to claim their ancestral land as well as recognition of
the Armenian Genocide (at that all achievements on the international
level will be jeopardized). In addition, the possibilities of Armenia
to negotiate on Karabakh peace process will be limited.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
