By Luiza Sukiasyan
YEREVAN (Aravot) – The Armenian Democratic Liberal Party (ADL) of the Republic of Armenia, together with ADL chapters in the diaspora, will soon initiate fundraising to aid the families of military servicemen killed during the four-day fighting in April. Edmond Azadian, the chairman of the party in the eastern United States [and Canada], announced this in an interview with Aravot.
Azadian declared, “The ADL through its cultural and philanthropic structures will directly provide aid to these families in Armenia and Artsakh. We will dispense allocations according to our abilities, and also announce a pan-Armenian fundraising campaign. It is extremely important for us to unite. Without this, we will not be able to be useful to Artsakh, and help it politically.” He was referring to the fact that this political party, which for the past ten years has been split in the diaspora, today is attempting to unite.
Our interviewee argued that Azerbaijanis and Turks in other countries do not spare any expense to conduct anti-Armenian propaganda. In response to the question of how the Democratic Liberals are countering that propaganda, Azadian responded, “We are using the abilities of our structures in the diaspora, although Armenia does not possess that many connections or money. The Armenians are being presented as aggressors in the US Congress, press and television. Our diasporan structures are able to counteract this. In particular, a billboard appeared recently denying the Armenian Genocide in Boston, facing a park built as a memorial to the victims of the genocide. Various Armenian groups and individuals quickly got the billboard, placed there by Turks, removed.”
Azadian reflected on the visit planned by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov to Armenia, saying, “Russia’s proposals are dangerous. We are a small country. However much we and the Russians like one another, the Russians treat Armenia as a friend only to the extent of the latter’s clout in regional politics. Aside from that, the eyes of the Azerbaijanis and Turks are also fixed on that small land, Armenia. They want to destroy us, because their goal is to restore the Ottoman Empire, and Armenia is an obstacle on their path.”
(Translated from the Armenian)
