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ANCA Calls For Community Meeting With Kerry
http://asbarez.com/108292/anca-calls-for-community-meeting-with-kerry/
Friday, February 15th, 2013 | Posted by Contributor
Secretary of State John Kerry
Requests Pre-April 24th Meeting to Discuss Armenian Genocide, Nagorno
Karabakh, U.S.-Armenia Relations, Syrian Armenians, and other
Community Priorities
WASHINGTON - The Armenian National Committee of America this week called
upon newly confirmed Secretary of State John Kerry to host a meeting
with the broad-based collective leadership of Armenian American
organizations, prior to the annual April 24th commemoration of the
Armenian Genocide.
In a letter, dated February 14th, ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian
congratulated Secretary Kerry on his new position, noting his decades
of friendship with Armenian Americans from his home state of
Massachusetts. `We are especially pleased that, at this historic
moment in our nation's foreign relations, our Department of State will
be led by a Secretary with such a distinguished and extensive record,
extending back well over three decades, of expertise and leadership on
the policies, principles, and priorities of special concern to our
community,' wrote Hachikian.
The letter went on to cite the broad array of Armenian American
foreign policy concerns that the community regularly discusses with
the Department of State, stressing that the ANCA looks forward to
working with Secretary Kerry `on all the issues that [he] so ably
advanced during [his] service in the Senate, among them strengthening
U.S.-Armenia ties, ensuring security for the Republic of Nagorno
Karabakh, protecting Armenians and other Christian populations in
Syria, and, of course, ending Turkey's gag-rule on American
recognition of the Armenian Genocide.' Hachikian continued noting,
`In the spirit of open dialogue that has always characterized your
relations with Armenian Americans, in Massachusetts and around the
nation, we respectfully call upon you, prior to this April 24th
commemoration of the Armenian Genocide, to host a meeting with the
broad-based, collective leadership of our community.'
During his confirmation process, then Senator Kerry offered responses
to a series of questions from Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Robert
Menendez (D-NJ) on Armenian American concerns. In his written
responses, he highlighted the growth of relations between Armenia and
the U.S., but, on the subject of the Armenian Genocide, reflected what
ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian described as `President Obama's
own public retreat, under pressure from Ankara, from his principled
stand in support of a full and forthright American condemnation of
Turkey's still unpunished crime against all of humanity.' Secretary
Kerry's written responses to Senate questions on Armenian American
concerns can be viewed at:
http://www.anca.org/press_releases/press_releases.php?prid=2215
The ANCA recently hosted a roundtable discussion with Justin Friedman,
the State Department's Director of the Office of Caucasus Affairs and
Regional Conflicts, about strategies to grow the U.S.-Armenia trade
and investment relationship. Video of the roundtable can be viewed in
full at: http://www.anca.org/press_releases/press_releases.php?prid=2217
The complete text of the ANCA letter to Secretary Kerry is provided below.
Dear Secretary Kerry:
I am writing, on behalf of Americans of Armenian heritage and all of
our nation's many friends of Armenia, to congratulate you upon your
swearing-in as Secretary of State.
We are especially pleased that, at this historic moment in our
nation's foreign relations, our Department of State will be led by a
Secretary with such a distinguished and extensive record, extending
back well over three decades, of expertise and leadership on the
policies, principles, and priorities of special concern to our
community. We look forward to working with you, in your new capacity,
on all the issues that you so ably advanced during your service in the
Senate, among them strengthening U.S.-Armenia ties, ensuring security
for the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh, protecting Armenians and other
Christian populations in Syria, and, of course, ending Turkey's
gag-rule on American recognition of the Armenian Genocide.
In the spirit of open dialogue that has always characterized your
relations with Armenian Americans, in Massachusetts and around the
nation, we respectfully call upon you, prior to this April 24th
commemoration of the Armenian Genocide, to host a meeting with the
broad-based, collective leadership of our community.
Thank you for your consideration of our concerns and attention to our request.
Sincerely,
Kenneth V. Hachikian
Chairman
From: A. Papazian
http://asbarez.com/108292/anca-calls-for-community-meeting-with-kerry/
Friday, February 15th, 2013 | Posted by Contributor
Secretary of State John Kerry
Requests Pre-April 24th Meeting to Discuss Armenian Genocide, Nagorno
Karabakh, U.S.-Armenia Relations, Syrian Armenians, and other
Community Priorities
WASHINGTON - The Armenian National Committee of America this week called
upon newly confirmed Secretary of State John Kerry to host a meeting
with the broad-based collective leadership of Armenian American
organizations, prior to the annual April 24th commemoration of the
Armenian Genocide.
In a letter, dated February 14th, ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian
congratulated Secretary Kerry on his new position, noting his decades
of friendship with Armenian Americans from his home state of
Massachusetts. `We are especially pleased that, at this historic
moment in our nation's foreign relations, our Department of State will
be led by a Secretary with such a distinguished and extensive record,
extending back well over three decades, of expertise and leadership on
the policies, principles, and priorities of special concern to our
community,' wrote Hachikian.
The letter went on to cite the broad array of Armenian American
foreign policy concerns that the community regularly discusses with
the Department of State, stressing that the ANCA looks forward to
working with Secretary Kerry `on all the issues that [he] so ably
advanced during [his] service in the Senate, among them strengthening
U.S.-Armenia ties, ensuring security for the Republic of Nagorno
Karabakh, protecting Armenians and other Christian populations in
Syria, and, of course, ending Turkey's gag-rule on American
recognition of the Armenian Genocide.' Hachikian continued noting,
`In the spirit of open dialogue that has always characterized your
relations with Armenian Americans, in Massachusetts and around the
nation, we respectfully call upon you, prior to this April 24th
commemoration of the Armenian Genocide, to host a meeting with the
broad-based, collective leadership of our community.'
During his confirmation process, then Senator Kerry offered responses
to a series of questions from Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and Robert
Menendez (D-NJ) on Armenian American concerns. In his written
responses, he highlighted the growth of relations between Armenia and
the U.S., but, on the subject of the Armenian Genocide, reflected what
ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian described as `President Obama's
own public retreat, under pressure from Ankara, from his principled
stand in support of a full and forthright American condemnation of
Turkey's still unpunished crime against all of humanity.' Secretary
Kerry's written responses to Senate questions on Armenian American
concerns can be viewed at:
http://www.anca.org/press_releases/press_releases.php?prid=2215
The ANCA recently hosted a roundtable discussion with Justin Friedman,
the State Department's Director of the Office of Caucasus Affairs and
Regional Conflicts, about strategies to grow the U.S.-Armenia trade
and investment relationship. Video of the roundtable can be viewed in
full at: http://www.anca.org/press_releases/press_releases.php?prid=2217
The complete text of the ANCA letter to Secretary Kerry is provided below.
Dear Secretary Kerry:
I am writing, on behalf of Americans of Armenian heritage and all of
our nation's many friends of Armenia, to congratulate you upon your
swearing-in as Secretary of State.
We are especially pleased that, at this historic moment in our
nation's foreign relations, our Department of State will be led by a
Secretary with such a distinguished and extensive record, extending
back well over three decades, of expertise and leadership on the
policies, principles, and priorities of special concern to our
community. We look forward to working with you, in your new capacity,
on all the issues that you so ably advanced during your service in the
Senate, among them strengthening U.S.-Armenia ties, ensuring security
for the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh, protecting Armenians and other
Christian populations in Syria, and, of course, ending Turkey's
gag-rule on American recognition of the Armenian Genocide.
In the spirit of open dialogue that has always characterized your
relations with Armenian Americans, in Massachusetts and around the
nation, we respectfully call upon you, prior to this April 24th
commemoration of the Armenian Genocide, to host a meeting with the
broad-based, collective leadership of our community.
Thank you for your consideration of our concerns and attention to our request.
Sincerely,
Kenneth V. Hachikian
Chairman
From: A. Papazian