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ANCA: Kerry Thanks ANCA Supporters for Sponsoring Campaign Event

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  • ANCA: Kerry Thanks ANCA Supporters for Sponsoring Campaign Event

    Armenian National Committee of America
    888 17th St. NW Suite 904
    Washington, DC 20006
    Tel: (202) 775-1918
    Fax: (202) 775-5648
    E-mail: [email protected]
    Internet: www.anca.org

    PRESS RELEASE
    April 1, 2004

    Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
    Telephone: (202) 775-1918

    SEN. KERRY THANKS ANCA SUPPORTERS FOR
    SPONSORING MAJOR CAMPAIGN FUNDRAISER

    -- Discusses Support for Armenian American
    issues with ANCA Leaders

    LOS ANGELES, CA - Democratic Presidential candidate John Kerry
    thanked Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) Chairman Ken
    Hachikian and other leaders and supporters of the ANCA, who
    participated as sponsors in a major Beverly Hills campaign
    fundraiser that brought an estimated $3 million dollars into the
    Kerry campaign.

    During a private reception, Hachikian spoke with the Massachusetts
    Senator, who noted his long-time support for Armenian American
    issues and his close relationship with the Massachusetts Armenian
    community. He recalled the 1990 bipartisan Senate battle to adopt
    the Armenian Genocide resolution, led by Senate Majority Leader Bob
    Dole, noting his commitment to the passage of that and subsequent
    legislation recognizing the Armenian Genocide. The 1990 bill was
    defeated with a filibuster by Sen. Robert Byrd (D-WV), an outspoken
    advocate in the Senate of Turkish Government interests. In a
    September, 2003, meeting with ANCA Western Region Executive
    Director Ardashes Kassakhian and community activist Mihran
    Toumajan, Sen. Kerry commented on the 1990 Genocide recognition
    effort, stating "I was incensed when the Turkish lobby and its
    allies disrupted the bill in the Senate... It is called justice,
    and we will get there together."

    Former Clinton Administration official and leading community
    activist Mike Mahdesian, who took part in the event, commented on
    the key role of Armenian Americans in the upcoming presidential
    race, noting the community presence and activism in key swing
    states around the country. "This was a great opportunity to speak
    to Senator Kerry and build on his strong twenty-year relationship
    with the Armenian American community," commented Mahdesian
    following the function. "Senator Kerry spoke highly of the efforts
    of the Armenian National Committee and looks forward to working
    closely with the Armenian American community on the road to victory
    in November." Mahdesian served for more than seven years as Deputy
    for the Bureau of Humanitarian Response at the State Department and
    U.S. Agency for International Development. During this period, he
    was integrally involved in the U.S. response to crises in Haiti,
    Rwanda, Bosnia, Kosovo, Indonesia, and other trouble spots around
    the world.

    Hachikian and Mahdesian were joined by a leading group of Armenian
    American activists at the gala event, including ANCA Western Region
    Chairman Raffi Hamparian, Board Members Aida Dimejian and Souzi
    Zerounian-Khanzadian, Executive Director Ardashes Kassakian, United
    Armenia Fund Executive Director Harout Sassounian, as well as
    several other long-time ANC supporters.

    The March 30th event was held at the home of noted Los Angeles
    businessman Ron Burkle and featured a concert by James Taylor.
    Among the notable Hollywood stars present at the event were Barbra
    Streisand, Danny DeVito, Jennifer Aniston, Brad Pitt, Michael
    Keaton, Jason Alexander, Lucy Liu, Sharon Stone, Leonardo DiCaprio,
    Ted Danson, Mary Steenburgen, Christina Applegate, Oliver Stone,
    Dustin Hoffman and Angelica Huston.

    Senator Kerry, during his long tenure in the U.S. House and Senate,
    has consistently been a leading advocate of issues of concern to
    Armenian Americans. As a U.S. Senator, Kerry has forcefully fought
    for U.S. recognition of the Armenian Genocide. He is currently a
    cosponsor of the Genocide Resolution, S.Res.164, and he voted, in
    1990, on the Senate floor for Senator Bob Dole's (R-KS) Genocide
    Resolution.

    The Massachusetts Senator has been a vocal and effective champion
    of stronger U.S.-Armenia relations and has consistently backed
    legislative initiative to increase aid and expand trade with
    Armenia. He is currently a cosponsor of legislation, S.1557, which
    would grant Armenia permanent normal trade relations status.

    Senator Kerry has spearheaded a number of initiatives to lift the
    Turkish and Azerbaijani blockades. In 1991, he was the lead
    sponsor of legislation, which was later enacted as Section 907 of
    the Freedom Support Act that restricted U.S. aid to the government
    of Azerbaijan until it lifted its blockades of Armenia and Nagorno
    Karabagh. He also worked for the adoption of the Humanitarian Aid
    Corridor Act, which called for U.S. aid to Turkey to be cut off
    unless Turkey lifted its blockade of Armenia. As recently as this
    January, Senator Kerry formally called on President Bush to press
    the visiting Prime Minister of Turkey to lift his nation's illegal
    blockade of Armenia.

    First elected in 1984 from Massachusetts, Sen. Kerry is currently
    serving a fourth term in the US Senate, where he represents one of
    the largest Armenian American communities. He serves on the Senate
    Finance Committee, the Committee on Commerce, Science and
    Transportation, the Committee on Foreign Relations, and the
    Subcommittee on Central Asia and South Caucasus.

    The ANCA recently released its Armenian American Presidential
    Report Card, which gave the Bush Administration generally low marks
    on fifteen issues of special concern to Armenian American voters.

    #####
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