PARIS (ARF Press Office)—Representatives of Europe’s ‘Hai Tad’ Committees came together at the Armenian Cultural House in Paris on November 13 for a pan-European Hai Tad Conference to address the EU’s approach to Armenia, Nagorno-Karabakh, the Caucasus, Genocide denial, and Turkey.
Attending the conference were delegates from the Armenian National Committee, the Defense Committee of the Armenian Cause, and the European Armenian Federation for Justice and Democracy in Europe and Armenian Revolutionary Federation bodies and Hai Tad committees from Great Britain, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Bulgaria, Greece, and Cyprus.
Also in attendance were directors and representatives of the European Armenian Federation’s board of directors and staff from its Brussels office, the Director of the ARF Bureau’s Political and Hai Tad Office, ARF Supreme Council of Armenia Chairman Armen Rustamian and ARF Bureau members Hagop Der Khachaturian, Levon Mkrchyan and Mario Nalbandian.
Participants presented reports to the conference and discussed the challenges created by the latest developments in European politics. Extensive discussions were held on the political situation in the Council of Europe and other European structures, as well as the policies that have been adopted within those structures regarding the South Caucasus.
The conference also focused heavily on European-wide efforts to secure the recognition of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic’s independence.
The participants also discussed ways to neutralize the damage done by the Armenia-Turkey protocols, as well as the need to influence the international community to increase pressure on Turkey and Azerbaijan to drop their illegal blockade of Armenia.
Dealing with the South Caucasus, the conference delegates discussed the current socio-political condition of Armenians living in Javakhk aand the general situation position of Georgia’s authorities to its large Armenian minority.
Particular focus was also given to developing strategies for expanding the reach and influence of Europe’s Hai Tad Committees and offices, as well as the possibility of establishing a presence in more EU countries. In this regard, the conference welcomed the official opening of the European Armenian Federation’s office in Tbilisi, the establishment in Paris of the French Office of the Armenian Cause and the formation of the Hai Tad Committees of Bulgaria and Spain.
At its close, the conference adopted corresponding decisions on the issues discussed on the agenda, including future policies and activities.
Earlier this month, a similar conference was held in Beirut, where representatives of Armenian National Committees of the Middle East discussed regional issues and the rise of Turkish influence in the area.