Congressmen praise Armenian president during Yerevan visit

by Emil Sanamyan

Published: Tuesday February 21, 2012

Rep. Moran shakes hands with Armenia's president, as (L-R) Reps. Wilson, Smith and Dreier look on. Official photo

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Washington - Members of the U.S. Congress offered praise for Armenia's president Serge Sargsyan as they briefly visited Yerevan on February 19, the Armenian president's office reported.

Rep. David Dreier (R-Calif.), who led the delegation, was quoted as saying that Sargsyan's "commitment to human rights, democracy and the rule of law in Armenia can be an example for many, many others."

Last week, U.S. Ambassador John Heffern offered a generally positive reaction to the conduct of local government elections, including a mayoral vote in the town of Hrazdan in which a pro-government incumbent narrowly defeating an opposition challenger. U.S. officials previously had been critical of Armenia's election handling, particularly the 2008 presidential and 2009 Yerevan mayoral votes.

The delegation, which visited Armenia on its way to Afghanistan, also included Reps. Jim Moran (D-Va.), Joe Wilson (R-S.C.), Adrian Smith (R-Neb.) and Kenny Marchant (R-Tex.), as well as congressional staff members including House Chaplain Rev. Patrick Conroy.

The visit was part of the House Democracy Partnership initiative led by Rep. Dreier, whose mission "is to promote responsive, effective government and strengthen democratic institutions by assisting legislatures in emerging democracies."

Congressmen also underscored the importance of the upcoming parliamentary elections. Sargsyan for his part thanked members of Congress for their continued support to Armenia.

Patchy records

Incidentally, out of the delegation only Rep. Dreier has been a generally consistent supporter of Armenian causes, including recognition of the Armenian Genocide and call on Turkey to return churches confiscated from its minorities. In 2010 the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) gave him a score of "B+".

ANCA gave a "C+" to Rep. Marchant, a "C" to Rep. Smith and "F's" to Reps. Moran and Wilson.

Rep. Moran is simultaneously a member of the Armenian, Turkey and Azerbaijan caucuses, but has in recent years taken up positions more favorable of latter two. In March of 2011 he was reported to have questioned the safety of Armenia's nuclear power plant in a letter to an Azeri lobby group. Last December, Moran even opposed the mostly innocuous resolution on the return of churches.

Rep. Wilson, previously considered a supporter, infamously disappeared during a House Foreign Affairs committee vote on the Armenian Genocide resolution in 2008. Wilson has since joined Azerbaijan caucus and, last December, participated in the launch of a new Azeri lobby group initiated by the son of Azerbaijani minister of transport Ziya Mammadov.