[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 19]
[House]
[Page 27107]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                         A SAD DAY FOR ARMENIA

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Rhode Island (Mr. Kennedy) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. KENNEDY of Rhode Island. Mr. Speaker, today is a very sad day for 
democracy. Today is a very sad day for those of us who are friends of 
Armenia. Those of us who have been able to watch today's unfolding news 
have been struck by the horror in the government in Armenia as the 
prime minister and several lawmakers were struck down by bullets in the 
middle of their session.
  I had the opportunity to meet Prime Minister Sarkisian last year when 
I visited Armenia and just 2 weeks ago when he walked the halls of this 
United States Congress to bring the cause of Armenia here to the 
bastion of democracy, and Prime Minister Sarkisian was struck down and 
murdered and assassinated today in Armenia. All of us in the United 
States Congress and all friends of Armenia all over this country, our 
hearts go out to the families of Prime Minister Sarkisian and all those 
lawmakers who lost their lives today in Armenia.
  For all Armenian Americans today is a very sad day, and I must say 
for all of us today is a sad day because this kind of senseless act of 
violence threatens the very foundations of democracy which we hold so 
dear here and which Armenia is struggling so much to establish in that 
former Communist country.
  Mr. Speaker, our sympathies go out to the families with our 
condolences.

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