[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 19]
[House]
[Page 27121]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                     ARMENIAN TERRORISM AN OUTRAGE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Ryan of Wisconsin). Under a previous 
order of the House, the gentlewoman from Maryland (Mrs. Morella) is 
recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mrs. MORELLA. Mr. Speaker, I appear here to add my voice to those who 
are expressing our strongest sense of outrage at the reported terrorism 
against the Armenian Congress which has so far claimed the lives of 
Prime Minister Vazgen Sarkisian, the Speaker of the Assembly Karen 
Demirchian, Deputy Speaker Bakhshian, Energy Minister Petrosian, and 
senior economic official Kotanian.
  I was pleased to lead a congressional delegation to visit Armenia 
during the August month. We had the opportunity to personally meet with 
these individuals who were clearly professionals on all they did, 
dedicated to the well being of the country and its people, and 
repeatedly demonstrated their obvious commitment to bringing peace and 
prosperity to the region. In fact, we were there to help to promote the 
peace process with Nagorno-Karabakh and Azerbaijan.
  Prime Minister Sarkisian, only a few days before we arrived, had 
addressed the people of Armenia on a television broadcast talking about 
the window of opportunity that Armenia had for the peace process as 
well as opportunities for trade in Armenia by those from other parts of 
the world, as well as the need to do something about corruption, to 
prevent corruption, and for transparency, for openness of the system. 
He got great applause; but it was, indeed, a very courageous statement 
he made.
  He was also here less than a month ago, and many of us who were 
interested in Armenia met with him and again discussed the process of 
the peace progress as well as the openness to trade and the 
advancements that are being made by the brilliant Armenian people.
  I am just very saddened by what we have learned about what has 
happened. This unwarranted intrusion against the Armenian people's 
democratically elected leaders must not in any way deter the commitment 
of the Armenian government to further develop and strengthen the 
nation's democracy.
  Our prayers and our best wishes are with the people of Armenia in the 
hope that the current hostage situation will be peacefully resolved and 
the perpetrators of this heinous crime are brought to justice.

                          ____________________