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Armenian National Committee – Western Region
104 North Belmont Street, Suite 200
Glendale, California 91206
Phone: 818.500.1918 Fax: 818.246.7353
anca@anca.org
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PRESS RELEASE +++ PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Release: Wednesday, August 23, 2006

Contact: Lerna Kayserian
Tel: (818) 500-1918

ANC of West San Fernando Valley Leads Meeting with Congressman Sherman

– Congressman expresses commitment to be at the forefront of Armenian
American issues

SHERMAN OAKS, CA – The Armenian National Committee of the West San
Fernando Valley met with U.S. Representative Brad Sherman (D-Sherman
Oaks) in his district office last week to discuss issues of concern
to the local Armenian American community. The delegation was led by
the West San Fernando Valley Chairman, Ara Papazian who was joined
by Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region (ANCA-WR)
Board Member Souzi Zerounian-Khanzadian, ANCA-WR Community Relations
Director Haig Hovsepian, and ANCA-WR Intern Allen Yekikan.

The meeting attendees expressed appreciation for the Congressman
Sherman’s record of support for Armenian American issues. Various
topics were discussed including Armenian Genocide legislation,
the controversial nomination of Richard Hoagland as the next
U.S. ambassador to Armenia, and congressional efforts to support
regional cooperation and integration in the Southern Caucasus Region.

Mrs. Zerounian-Khanzadian, a constituent of Rep. Sherman, explained
that the Armenian American community is extremely disturbed over
Richard Hoagland’s evasive and outright genocide denial leading
up to, during, and following his hearing in the Senate Foreign
Relations Committee. Rep. Sherman expressed his concern and agreed
to write a letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, opposing
Richard Hoagland’s confirmation as the next Ambassador to Armenia.
The Congressman noted that "Ambassador Evans was a great ambassador
who should not have been recalled."

Papazian, a constituent of the Congressman, thanked him for his
continued support of the Armenian Genocide Resolution as well as
his co-authorship of the Crowley Amendment, an amendment to the
Export-Import Bank Reauthorization Act of 2006. The Crowley Amendment,
authored by New York Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-Jackson Heights) and
co-authored by Rep. Ed Royce (R-Fullerton) and Rep. Brad Sherman,
prohibits the Export-Import Bank from providing any assistance "to
develop or promote any rail connections or railway-related connections
that traverse or connect Baku, Azerbaijan; Tbilisi, Georgia; and Kars,
Turkey, and that specifically exclude cities in Armenia." The bill
to which it was amended was approved by the House of Representatives
in July and will go to the Senate for consideration. Rep. Sherman
expressed his commitment to the amendment and promised to work closely
with his collegues in the Senate to make certain the amended bill does
not get altered or excluded from the fi! nal draft of the legislation.

Mrs. Zerounian-Khanzadian invited Representative Sherman to both the
ANCA-WR Annual Banquet in November and the ANCA Leadership Conference
in Washington D.C. scheduled for September 14-17th. The Congressman
expressed his gratitude for the invitations and promised to attend,
even offering to lead a workshop during the conference.

Congressman Brad Sherman represents California’s 27th district,
home to a large Armenian American community. Since being elected
to Congress in 1997, Representative Sherman has worked to continue
building U.S. relations with Armenia, co-sponsored previous Armenian
Genocide recognition legislation, including the resolutions introduced
in the 109th Congress. He is also an original co-sponsor of the South
Caucasus Integration and Open Railroads Act, H.R. 3361 as well as
the End the Turkish Blockade of Armenia Act, H.R.3103.

The ANCA is the largest and most influential Armenian American
grassroots political organization. Working in coordination with a
network of offices, chapters, and supporters throughout the United
States and affiliated organizations around the world, the ANCA actively
advances the concerns of the Armenian-American community on a broad
range of issues.

Editor’s Note: Photo attached: (left to right) ANCA-WR Intern Allen
Yekikan, ANCA-WR Board member Souzi Zerounian-Khanzadian, Congressman
Brad Sherman, ANC West SF Valley Chairman Ara Papazian, and ANCA-WR
Staff Haig Hovsepian.

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