President Sargsyan Consults the Diaspora

October 1, 2009. President Serzh Sargsyan initiated a Pan-Armenian tour, as part of the public discussions on the normalization of the Armenian-Turkish relations. To consult compatriots in the worldwide Armenian Diaspora, the President embarked a tour of Paris, New York, Los Angeles, Beirut and Doni Rostov where he plans to meet representatives of the large communities from the respective regions. First visiting Paris, President Sargsyan had a meeting with the representatives from Armenian Communities of the European countries. He was accompanied by Ms. Hranush Hakobyan, Minister for

Diaspora Affairs, and Mr. Arkadi Ghukasyan, President's Special Envoy and former President of the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh. A lively debate took place with representatives of various Armenian community organizations and the Armenian Apostolic 

Church, as well as prominent members of the Diaspora. The President represented his position on the necessity for improving bilateral relations and reassured the meeting that there were no preconditions in the process of normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations. It was reconfirmed that the recognition of the Genocide of Armenians in Ottoman Turkey is not to be compromised and will remainn a priority policy objective to pursue.