Cher President,

I congratulate you and the entire EPP family on the 40th anniversary of its founding.

Europe, with Armenia as one of the early sources of its great civilization, continues to face today monumental domestic and international challenges, foremost of which is living up to its own ethical, legal, cultural, and democratic values.

Armenia's track record in these respects, including the conduct of elections and referenda and the electoral code recently passed by the ruling party, leaves a lot still to be desired.  That some of its neighbors are even worse off is of no consolation for those of us who expect an equal application of European standards.

I ask that you include by extension this letter and the attached article

(http://www.foreignpolicyjournal.com/2016/05/06/recognize-the-genocide-that-happened-and-the-one-now-beginning/) in the minutes of the Assembly or otherwise secure their distribution to its participants.

Once again, felicitations!

Raffi K. Hovannisian