Armenian National Committee of Florida
PO Box 741364
Boynton Beach, FL 33474
954-401-9787
[email protected]
PRESS RELEASE
August 18, 2004
Contact: Bedo Der-Bedrossian
[email protected]
ANC FLORIDA ACTIVISTS MEET
WITH KEY REPUBLICAN LEGISLATORS
— Strengthen ties with Cuban American Community
Ft. Lauderdale, FL – ANC Florida activists continued their meetings
with South Florida Congressional offices today, discussing
community concerns with six-term Republican House Member Lincoln
Diaz-Balart and senior representatives from the offices of Rep.
Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) and Rep. E. Clay Shaw (R-FL).
During the first meeting, participants discussed the status of the
Genocide Resolution (H.Res.193) and asked Rep. Diaz-Balart for his
support in encouraging the House Leadership to schedule a vote on
the measure. The group also urged the Representative to
participate in upcoming commemorative events marking the 90th
anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, both in Washington, DC and in
his local district. ANC South Florida Chairman Bedo Der-Bedrossian
thanked the Congressman for joining with the South Florida Armenian
American community this past April 24th to mark this solemn
occasion. In turn, Rep. Diaz-Balart expressed appreciation to the
Armenian community for their solidarity on several issues of
concern to the Cuban American community. Specifically, the
Representative made reference to Armenian participation at a
protest against Communist repression in Cuba held during an
international summit in Geneva, Switzerland last year. The ANC
delegation pledged to work even more closely with the Cuban
American community on issues of mutual concern.
Participants at the meeting included ANCA Eastern Region Director
Doug Geogerian, ANCA Government Affairs Director Abraham Niziblian,
ANC South Florida Chairman Bedo Der-Bedrossian, Naomi Davityan,
ANCA intern and Florida activist Michael Toumayan, and Tony
Yaghjian as well as Armenian Assembly Grassroots Director Nancy
Hiteshue and recent Armenian Assembly intern Daniel Koushagjian.
Following this meeting, Geogerian, Niziblian, Der-Bedrossian and
Toumayan went on to discuss Armenian Genocide legislation and U.S.-
Armenia trade relations with Deborah Zimmerman, District Chief of
Staff for Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen. The ANCA delegation expressed
appreciation for a key Committee vote Rep. Ros-Lehtinen had cast in
September 2000 in support of the Armenian Genocide Resolution
(H.Res.596). They went on to discuss a number of U.S. – Armenia
economic issues including continuing high levels of U.S. assistance
to Armenia, the importance of maintaining U.S. military assistance
parity to Armenia and Azerbaijan and providing U.S. assistance to
Nagorno Karabagh
During the meeting with Rep. E. Clay Shaw’s District Director Joel
Gustafson, the ANCA delegation again focused on proper U.S.
reaffirmation of the Armenian Genocide as well as efforts to
strengthen U.S. – Armenia economic and political relations. The
delegation included Geogerian, Niziblian, Der-Bedrossian, Toumayan
as well as local activists Siran Der-Bedrossian and Allen
Jaknavorian.
At each of the meetings, ANCA activists encouraged Members of
Congress to co-sign a letter, initiated by Representatives George
Radanovich (R-CA), Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Frank
Pallone (D-NJ) and Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) urging the House
Leadership to support inclusion of the Schiff Amendment in the FY
2005 Foreign Aid Bill and to schedule a vote on the Genocide
Resolution (H.Res.193). The Schiff Amendment, adopted unanimously
by the House by a voice vote, would bar Turkey from utilizing U.S.
foreign assistance to lobby against the Genocide resolution
(H.Res.193).
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress