Levon Ter-Petrosyan has called for a one on one meeting with Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan to personally convey his concerns regarding the recently issued Pan-Armenian Proclamation on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.

The proclamation was drafted by a state commemorative organizing committee and Ter-Petrosyan argues that the body has overstepped its authority by claiming that it speaks for the “united will” of all Armenians.

Armenia's first president also argues that given that the proclamation was addressed to the international community it would have been imbued with greater gravitas and legal-political significance had it been signed by the presidents of Armenia and Artsakh and church ;eaders rather than some faceless committee.

Ter-Petrosyan also faults the proclamation as a little more than an ultimatum to Turkey, calling on Ankara to recognize and condemn the Armenian Genocide committed by the Ottoman Empire, but that it fails to specify what Armenian plans to do if, and when, Turkey fails to do so.

In his open letter to Sargsyan, Ter-Petrosyan also broaches the idea of organizing an consultative committee to finally delineate the position of the Republic of Armenia vis-à-vis the Genocide issue.

Ter-Petrosyan says that such a committee would use the proclamation as a basis to draft a new memorandum, signed by the president of Armenia, to be forwarded to the United Nations Secretary General, the presidents of the OSCE and the EU, and to all heads of state.

In conclusion, Ter-Petrosyan says that such a memorandum must not damage the solution of the most important problems now facing Armenia, namely a resolution of Armenia-Turkey relations and the Karabakh conflict.

Ter-Petrosyan then suggests people to sit on the consultative committee; individuals who have already proven capable of rising above traditional perceptions and who can view the matter from the perspective of Armenian state interests and in the context of contemporary adopted global principles.

The individuals suggested are:

From Armenia: Babken Ararktsyan, Vazgen Manukyan, Gagik Harutyunyan, Vano Siradeghyan, Vardan Oskanyan, Stepan Demirchyan, Arman Grigoryan, Ruben Shugaryan, Alexander Arzumanyan, Ashot Voskanyan, Ara Sahakyan, Ruben Vardanyan, Ashot Sargsyan, Hrant Ter-Abrahayan, Ktrich Sardaryan.

From the U.S. - Jirair Libaridian, Khachig Tölölyan, Ruben Atalian, Ara Sanjian, Hampig Sarafian and Raffi Urfalian.

From France - Arman Sarian, Jirayr Malkhasian, Michel Marian, Raffi Kalfayian.

From Turkey - Levon Zekiyan

From Argentina - Rupen Mozian.

Ter-Petrosyan says that he would be willing to participate in the activities of the committee and that he doesn’t care how his “hostile friends” perceive his initiative.

Ter-Petrosyan ends by saying that the imperative of his initiative, regardless of the uproar it will cause, is made all the more urgent given the upcoming 100th anniversary of the Genocide.