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ANCA Calls For Community Meeting With Kerry

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  • ANCA Calls For Community Meeting With Kerry

    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
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