[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 119 (Thursday, September 21, 2006)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1792-E1793]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        HONORING THE 15TH ANNIVERSARY OF ARMENIA'S INDEPENDENCE

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. JOHN CONYERS, JR.

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, September 21, 2006

  Mr. CONYERS. Mr. Speaker, today I rise to honor and recognize the 
15th anniversary of Armenia's independence. Armenia's independence was 
first recognized on September 21, 1991, marking it as one of the first 
nations to declare its independence from the former Soviet Union. 
Building upon the foundations of the first Armenian Republic of 1918, 
today's Armenian Government has, in the years since independence, 
strengthened democracy and the rule of law, promoted free-market 
reforms, and sought a just and lasting peace in the region.
  Since declaring independence from the former Soviet Union, Armenia 
emerged from its Soviet-styled centrally planned economy, based on 
industry and highly dependent on outside resources, to an economy 
developing and relying on new sectors, such as precious stone 
processing and jewelry making, information and communication 
technology, and even tourism.
  With its steady economic progress, Armenia has rightfully earned 
increasing support from

[[Page E1793]]

international institutions. As the 2005 Transparency International 
Corruption Perception Index chart, where Armenia ranked 88th out of 
158th, shows, Armenia has earned this support. Furthermore, according 
to the 2005 U.N. Human Development Report, Armenia has a Human 
Development Index of 83 out of 177, and ranks the highest among the 
Transcaucasian republics. Finally, in recognizing the country's 
continuing efforts to move away from its Soviet past, it cannot be 
overlooked that in this year's Index of Economic Freedom, Armenia 
ranked 27th best, tied with Japan and ahead of countries like Norway, 
Spain, Portugal and Italy. The rank puts Armenia in the category of 
``Mostly Free'' countries, making it the most economically free state 
in the Commonwealth of Independent States.
  No recognition of Armenia would be complete without acknowledging the 
fantastic contributions of the Armenian diaspora living here in 
America. It is estimated that the Armenian community in the United 
States numbers in the hundreds of thousands and represents the largest 
Armenian community in the world outside Armenia. In Michigan, my 
hometown of Detroit was itself one of the great historical centers 
where Armenians set down roots after they came to our great Nation. 
Armenian-Americans have also made contributions to every aspect of 
American life. Among the most notable have been William Saroyan, 
Academy Award and Pulitzer Prize winning author; Howard Kazanjian, 
producer of Star Wars and Raiders of the Lost Ark; Raffi, children's 
singer and songwriter; System of a Down, multi-platinum alternative/
metal group; Steve Zallian, Academy Award winning screenwriter of 
Schindler's List; Ray Damadian, inventor of Magnetic Resonance Imaging 
(MRI), and, of course, Andre Agassi, professional tennis player.
  However, our relationship with Armenia has certainly been by no means 
a one-way street. Our Nation's Armenian diaspora has provided the 
greatest number of high ranking officials in the new republic: the 
young Minister of Foreign Affairs, Raffi Hovannisian, a lawyer and 
political scientist, whose father, Richard, professor of Armenian 
history at UCLA, is the foremost authority on the first republic; the 
minister of energy, Sebuh Tashjian, also from Los Angeles; Jirair 
Libaridian, historian and former director of the Zoryan Institute, who 
is a personal advisor to President Levon Ter Petrosian; and Mathew Der 
Manuelian, a Boston lawyer with a high post in the Ministry of Foreign 
Affairs.
  I'll conclude my statement by wishing Armenia and Armenian-Americans 
a happy independence day.

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