O.C. Official Describes Joy of Armenian Independence Vote

Armenians danced in the street, planted kisses on American visitors and displayed U.S. flags, said Orange County Supervisor Gaddi H. Vasquez, who returned Monday after witnessing that country’s historic vote for independence.

Vasquez and Los Angeles County Supervisor Mike Antonovich arrived at Los Angeles International Airport after helping to oversee Armenia’s election on Saturday, in which 99% voted to break away from the Soviet Union.

“What’s important now is the doors have been opened for Armenia to establish itself,” Vasquez said. “The fact that they want technological assistance (from the United States) indicates that they are determined to make it.”

Vasquez, chairman of the Board of Supervisors, and Antonovich were among 100 foreigners invited by the Armenian government to visiting polling places, inspect voter-registration documents and watch from a distance as citizens marked either “yes” or “no” on their ballots.

“We gave (the election) high marks and gave it a favorable rating, and saw nothing that suggested flaws or any improper conduct,” Vasquez said.

Vasquez, Antonovich, California Fair Political Practices Chairman Ben Davidian and Greg Kahwajian, a former special assistant to former Gov. George Deukmejian, together visited seven large precincts. They were warmly received when it was learned that they were Americans.

“People were literally dancing in front of the polling places,” Vasquez recalled. “People would hug us and (say) God bless America and democracy and freedom . . . both of us can attest to having been kissed a number of times.

“When we visited the polling places, we looked at the entries,” he said. “We examined the registration forms. . . . So there had to be adherence to that process.

“Given the public attitude in Armenia, the results frankly are not surprising.”

Armenian officials were gracious and eager hosts, Antonovich and Vasquez said.

“One of the things they did in the Armenian tradition is to honor your guest by slaughtering a lamb in your presence and offering it in sacrifice, and, of course, cooking it and sharing it with you,” Vasquez said.

“We saved a few (lambs),” Antonovich interjected.

“I think we saw probably three (lambs), then we indicated to them that our schedule did not permit us to stay (longer)” Vasquez said.

The Armenian people, suppressed for 900 years by Persia, Turkey and the Soviet Union, were overjoyed to be free, he said.

Vasquez recalled a conversation in one village.

“Five or six of us (were) standing around and they said: ‘You know . . . four weeks ago, just prior to the coup . . . we would not have been able to stand here and talk like this because the KGB operatives and informants would report (you) to the main KGB.’ ”

The aborted right-wing Soviet coup was pivotable for Armenia, the visiting Americans were told.

“I talked to Armenian officials . . . who said just a few short days ago, this election might not have taken place,” Vasquez said.

“One high-ranking Armenian official described in very descriptive terms to us that when the coup occurred . . . he literally began to write his will and to make his final testament because he believed that given the coup, he was probably either going to meet death or prison.

“It’s an indicator of just how things have changed in just a matter of weeks when there wasn’t going to be an election, there was an election . . . and Armenia is independent,” Vasquez said.