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ANCA calls on Obama to meet with Armenian American community
tert.am
August 16, 2012 | 21:07
WASHINGTON, DC -The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) has
again called upon President Obama to meet with the broad-based
leadership of the Armenian American community, noting that his
failure, over the past three and a half years, to consult personally
with representatives of his Armenian American constituents - major
stakeholders in U.S. foreign policy on Armenian issues - is unhealthy
for both American democracy and U.S. diplomacy, ANCA reports.
To date, despite his January 2008 campaign promise of `active
engagement with Armenian American leaders on the full range of issues
of concern to the Armenian American community,' the President has
failed to hold a single meeting with the community's leadership.
The full text of the ANCA letter signed by Chairman Ken Hachikian is
provided below.
August 15, 2012
The Honorable Barack Obama
President of the United States
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C.20500
Dear Mr. President:
I am writing to ask you, in the spirit of your campaign pledge to
actively engage with Armenian American leaders, to invite the
broad-based leadership of our community to a meeting with you to
discuss your Administration's policies on Armenian issues.
As you know, the ANCA has, since the first months of your tenure,
regularly, publicly, and formally requested opportunities such as this
for you to communicate personally with Armenian American leaders. Such
a meeting, which, sadly, has yet to take place, would provide a
much-needed platform for an open exchange of views, allowing you to
hear directly about our concerns and disappointments as well as our
expectations and our hopes for the future. The absence of a direct
dialogue between you and your Armenian American constituents is
unhealthy both for our democracy as well as for our diplomacy.
Mr. President, given the attention that your Administration has
devoted to Armenian issues, and the time that you have personally
devoted to meeting with other stakeholders - including foreign
officials and domestic groups openly hostile to our community's views
and values - we remain hopeful that you will choose not to end your
term in office without having held even a single official meeting with
Armenian American leaders.
Please accept our appreciation for your consideration of this, our
most recent request for a personal meeting with the broad-based
leadership of the Armenian American community.
Sincerely,
[signed]
Kenneth V. Hachikian
Chairman
From: Baghdasarian
tert.am
August 16, 2012 | 21:07
WASHINGTON, DC -The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) has
again called upon President Obama to meet with the broad-based
leadership of the Armenian American community, noting that his
failure, over the past three and a half years, to consult personally
with representatives of his Armenian American constituents - major
stakeholders in U.S. foreign policy on Armenian issues - is unhealthy
for both American democracy and U.S. diplomacy, ANCA reports.
To date, despite his January 2008 campaign promise of `active
engagement with Armenian American leaders on the full range of issues
of concern to the Armenian American community,' the President has
failed to hold a single meeting with the community's leadership.
The full text of the ANCA letter signed by Chairman Ken Hachikian is
provided below.
August 15, 2012
The Honorable Barack Obama
President of the United States
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW
Washington, D.C.20500
Dear Mr. President:
I am writing to ask you, in the spirit of your campaign pledge to
actively engage with Armenian American leaders, to invite the
broad-based leadership of our community to a meeting with you to
discuss your Administration's policies on Armenian issues.
As you know, the ANCA has, since the first months of your tenure,
regularly, publicly, and formally requested opportunities such as this
for you to communicate personally with Armenian American leaders. Such
a meeting, which, sadly, has yet to take place, would provide a
much-needed platform for an open exchange of views, allowing you to
hear directly about our concerns and disappointments as well as our
expectations and our hopes for the future. The absence of a direct
dialogue between you and your Armenian American constituents is
unhealthy both for our democracy as well as for our diplomacy.
Mr. President, given the attention that your Administration has
devoted to Armenian issues, and the time that you have personally
devoted to meeting with other stakeholders - including foreign
officials and domestic groups openly hostile to our community's views
and values - we remain hopeful that you will choose not to end your
term in office without having held even a single official meeting with
Armenian American leaders.
Please accept our appreciation for your consideration of this, our
most recent request for a personal meeting with the broad-based
leadership of the Armenian American community.
Sincerely,
[signed]
Kenneth V. Hachikian
Chairman
From: Baghdasarian