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South Florida ANC Activists Reach Out to Elected Officials

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  • South Florida ANC Activists Reach Out to Elected Officials

    Armenian National Committee of Florida
    PO Box 741364
    Boynton Beach, FL 33474
    954-401-9787
    [email protected]
    www.anca.org

    PRESS RELEASE
    August 17, 2004

    Contact: Bedo Der-Bedrossian
    [email protected]


    SOUTH FLORIDA ANC ACTIVISTS REACH OUT TO ELECTED OFFICIALS

    -- Urge Senator Nelson to Support Genocide Resolution, Strengthen
    US-Armenia Relations

    FT. LAUDERDALE, FL - Florida ANC activists joined with ANCA national and
    regional staff in a meeting, today, with representatives of Senator Bill
    Nelson's (D-FL) district office to discuss issues of concern to the Armenian
    American community in the Sunshine State, reported the Armenian National
    Committee of Florida.

    The meeting is among the first in a series of activities involving Members
    of Congress and the Florida Armenian community during a 10-day trip to the
    region by ANCA Eastern Region Director Doug Geogerian and ANCA Government
    Affairs Director Abraham Niziblian.

    Over a dozen Florida Armenians participated in the meeting Sen. Nelson's
    Broward County Regional Office Director Willowstine Lawson. Activists
    joining Niziblian and Geogerian were ANC South Florida Chairman Bedo
    Der-Bedrossian, Rev. Vasken Bekiarian, Pastor of St. Gregory Armenian Church
    of South Florida, Marilyn Vaboolian McClean, Sonya Toumayan, Gloria Toroyan,
    Michael Toumayan, Arlys Koushakjian, Naomi Davitian, Eugenie Megherian
    Rodrigues, Sevag Tokatlian, and Siran Der-Bedrossian. Michael Toumayan
    recently finished an eight-week internship at the ANCA national
    headquarters, during which time he met with Senator Nelson and his
    Washington, DC staff.

    During the hour-long meeting with Lawson, community participants urged the
    first term Senator to take an active role on a number of key Armenian
    American concerns including Congressional reaffirmation of the Armenian
    Genocide, stronger US-Armenia bilateral economic and political relations,
    and a lasting and equitable resolution to the Nagorno Karabagh conflict.
    Der-Bedrossian specifically asked that the Senator cosponsor S.Res.164,
    legislation marking the 15th anniversary of US implementation of the
    Genocide Convention. The resolution, introduced by Senators John Ensign
    (R-NV) and Jon Corzine (D-NJ), currently has 40 cosponsors. Der-Bedrossian
    also briefed Lawson about activities planned in commemoration of the 90th
    anniversary of the Armenian Genocide next year in South Florida and invited
    Senator Nelson to join the Armenian American community in marking this
    solemn occasion.

    Participants urged the Senator's support for S.1557, which would ensure
    permanent normal trade relations between the US and Armenia. The ANC
    activists will be meeting personally with Senator Nelson regarding these and
    other pressing issues later this week.

    Geogerian and Niziblian arrived in Ft. Lauderdale this past weekend, where
    they joined the South Florida community in celebrating the Feast of the
    Ascension and the Blessing of the Grapes at St. Gregory Armenian Church.
    Last night, Niziblian and Geogerian gave an update on Armenian American
    advocacy efforts in Washington, DC and around the nation to local activists
    at a public forum hosted by the ANC of Florida. Over the next seven days,
    they will be traveling throughout the state, meeting with Members of
    Congress and local Armenian American activists in an effort to strengthen
    the community's political advocacy efforts in Florida.

    The Armenian National Committee is the largest Armenian American grassroots
    political organization in Florida and nationwide. The ANC actively advances
    a broad range of issues of concern to the Armenian American community.
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