Tweet
ARMENIAN AMERICAN DELEGATION MEETS WITH STATE DEPT. ON KESSAB
Thursday, March 27th, 2014
The U.S. Department of State building in Washington, D.C.
WASHINGTON--The Armenian National Committee of America joined a
delegation of Armenian American community and religious representatives
to forcefully urge the U.S. government to take immediate action to end
the vicious onslaught on the historically Armenian town of Kessab,
Syria, which was overrun by al-Qaeda affiliated terrorists in an
attack launched from Turkey on March 21.
During a meeting with State Department officials earlier today,
community representatives stressed, in urgent and frank terms, that
"the United States has a unique responsibility to protect the citizens
of Kessab especially since a large proportion of them have American
families desperately seeking to provide protection and refuge for
them." The delegation submitted a series of requests for prompt U.S.
action including:
* Publicly condemn both the vicious attack on an Armenian civilian
town by Al Qaeda-linked terrorists and Turkey's assistance for and
cooperation in the attack.
* Demand an immediate withdrawal of the extremists, so that civilians
can return to their homes.
* Provide assurances of ongoing protection for the civilian population
and call the reinstatement of a demilitarized zone around Kessab and
the Turkish border.
* Provide targeted and need-based humanitarian assistance for the
displaced civilians from Kessab, who have found refuge in Latakia.
* Demand Turkey secure its border and not allow militants in Kessab
to be reinforced with supplies or be able to return to Turkey.
* Investigate Turkey's assistance to US designated terrorist groups
such as Al Nusra and publish its findings.
* Facilitate the return of Armenians back to their homes.
* Assist Americans with missing family members to locate their
relatives and bring them to safety.
Earlier this week, ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian sent a strongly worded
letter calling on President Obama to direct his Secretary of State,
the U.S. Ambassador to Turkey, and his Ambassador to the United Nations
to demand that Turkey halt the cross-border attacks on Kessab that
have forced the immediate civilian evacuation of the area and led to
the looting of properties and the desecration of churches.
Located in the northwestern corner of Syria, near the border with
Turkey, Kessab had, until very recently, evaded major battles in
the Syrian conflict. The local Armenian population had increased in
recently years with the city serving as safe-haven for those fleeing
from the war-torn cities of Yacubiye, Rakka and Aleppo. On the morning
of March 21st, extremist foreign fighters launched a vicious attack on
Kessab civilians, forcing them to flee neighboring Latakia and Bassit.
http://asbarez.com/121206/armenian-american-delegation-meets-with-state-dept-on-kessab/
Thursday, March 27th, 2014
The U.S. Department of State building in Washington, D.C.
WASHINGTON--The Armenian National Committee of America joined a
delegation of Armenian American community and religious representatives
to forcefully urge the U.S. government to take immediate action to end
the vicious onslaught on the historically Armenian town of Kessab,
Syria, which was overrun by al-Qaeda affiliated terrorists in an
attack launched from Turkey on March 21.
During a meeting with State Department officials earlier today,
community representatives stressed, in urgent and frank terms, that
"the United States has a unique responsibility to protect the citizens
of Kessab especially since a large proportion of them have American
families desperately seeking to provide protection and refuge for
them." The delegation submitted a series of requests for prompt U.S.
action including:
* Publicly condemn both the vicious attack on an Armenian civilian
town by Al Qaeda-linked terrorists and Turkey's assistance for and
cooperation in the attack.
* Demand an immediate withdrawal of the extremists, so that civilians
can return to their homes.
* Provide assurances of ongoing protection for the civilian population
and call the reinstatement of a demilitarized zone around Kessab and
the Turkish border.
* Provide targeted and need-based humanitarian assistance for the
displaced civilians from Kessab, who have found refuge in Latakia.
* Demand Turkey secure its border and not allow militants in Kessab
to be reinforced with supplies or be able to return to Turkey.
* Investigate Turkey's assistance to US designated terrorist groups
such as Al Nusra and publish its findings.
* Facilitate the return of Armenians back to their homes.
* Assist Americans with missing family members to locate their
relatives and bring them to safety.
Earlier this week, ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian sent a strongly worded
letter calling on President Obama to direct his Secretary of State,
the U.S. Ambassador to Turkey, and his Ambassador to the United Nations
to demand that Turkey halt the cross-border attacks on Kessab that
have forced the immediate civilian evacuation of the area and led to
the looting of properties and the desecration of churches.
Located in the northwestern corner of Syria, near the border with
Turkey, Kessab had, until very recently, evaded major battles in
the Syrian conflict. The local Armenian population had increased in
recently years with the city serving as safe-haven for those fleeing
from the war-torn cities of Yacubiye, Rakka and Aleppo. On the morning
of March 21st, extremist foreign fighters launched a vicious attack on
Kessab civilians, forcing them to flee neighboring Latakia and Bassit.
http://asbarez.com/121206/armenian-american-delegation-meets-with-state-dept-on-kessab/