news.am, Armenia
Sept 17 2011

Armenian opposition party leader incredulous about Armenia-Diaspora forum

September 17, 2011 | 13:19

YEREVAN. – Leader of opposition Heritage party Raffi Hovannisyan
believes that Armenia-Diaspora Forum will not solve any basic problem,
being of superficial and ceremonial nature, said the politician at a
press conference on Saturday.

`I learned about the event and the official invitation only yesterday.
Actually I have never been invited to ceremonies and events for the
past 16-17 years. Only recently I have acquired certain status, let’s
say, and got, although belated, still an invitation. Quite
unfortunately I leave for Kiev tomorrow to participate in
international forum of MPs on issues of struggle against racism,
nationalism and anti-Semitism and therefore I will miss the forum in
Armenia. I of course welcome the initiative, however the previous
experience shows that these events have been superficial and
ceremonial, without really touching upon topic of serious concern.
>From all this I expect filming of Presidents and Catholicoses,
followed by a discussion that will raise the spirits for 20th
anniversary of independence,” said Hovannisyan.

Armenia-Diaspora forum will bring together 500 representatives from 50
countries. Within the framework of two-day conference on Armenia’s
20th anniversary ministers, experts, the media representatives, and
political party activists will come up with their reports.

Four thematic sessions are scheduled: `The language and education’,
`The youth problems’, `The Genocide’s 100th anniversary’ and `The new
mechanisms of Armenia-Diaspora cooperation.’

From: A. Papazian