Key Committee Blocks Baku’s Bid to Secure Adoption of Anti-Armenian Measures<\/p>\n
“Today was a win for not only us Armenians, but for others who are in
\nthe minority. For the people, by the people – this is the way our legislative process should work. Let the truth prevail.” – Ani Martirosian <\/p>\n
HONOLULU, HI – The Hawaii legislature publicly debated and then rejected a pair of Azerbaijan-initiated anti-Armenian measures, dealing a high-profile setback to Baku’s well-funded effort to enlist
\nU.S. state legislatures in its increasingly aggressive campaign against Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh, reported the Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region (ANCA-WR).<\/p>\n
“We want to thank Aloha State legislators, long known for their commitment to tolerance and human rights, for their wisdom in blocking Baku’s efforts to manipulate Hawaii and take advantage of the good name of her citizens,” said \u00a0Executive Director of ANCA Western Region Elen Asatryan. “Today’s vote sends a powerful signal that Azerbaijan’s corrupt and undemocratic President Ilham Aliyev – despite all the millions he’s spending on ‘caviar diplomacy’- doesn’t get a vote here in America and certainly doesn’t deserve the right to buy influence in the U.S. government,” added Asatryan.<\/p>\n
The Hawaii House of Representatives Committee on Veterans, Military, & International Affairs, & Culture and the Arts rejected the two anti-Armenian resolutions during their committee hearing earlier today at the State Capitol, despite the ardent efforts of Committee Chairman Mark Takei, who was an author of the bills. \u00a0Both profoundly biased and factually flawed measures were reportedly introduced at the bequest of the Azerbaijani government, a major breach of diplomatic protocol, confirmed publicly by State Rep. Rida Cabanilla, who was quoted in “Civil Beat,” a Hawaii publication, as saying that: “The resolutions came from Elin Suleymanov, Azerbaijan’s ambassador to the United States.”<\/p>\n
“Civil Beat” further reported that Hawaiians looking for the reasoning behind the introduction of such unlikely resolutions in the State of Hawaii may look trips taken to Baku last May by Reps. Cabanilla and Chairman Takai, who joined more than 300 others from the U.S. at the U.S.-Azerbaijan Convention, courtesy of the Republic of Azerbaijan which spent nearly $8,000 for the two legislators’ visit.<\/p>\n
When he was questioned about the trip last summer, Chairman Takai
\nsaid, “There’s nothing in the Legislature now that would directly
\nbenefit Azerbaijan, so it passes the ethics concern.” This contention
\nwas clearly unfounded, as the measures under consideration today
\nclearly would have, if passed, directly benefited Azerbaijan.<\/p>\n
Despite the resources expended on the measure by the Azerbaijani
\ngovernment, the most persuasive voices of the day belonged to three
\nmembers of the local Armenian American community, including: Arpine Philian Mar, an 82 year-old retiree, Arthur Martirosian, and Ani Martirosian, an active community leader who was instrumental in
\norganizing her fellow citizens to speak out on these measures.<\/p>\n
Watch Martirosian’s video testimony.
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