Armenian Assembly of America
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PRESS RELEASE
March 26, 2007
CONTACT: Karoon Panosyan
E-mail: kpanosyan@aaainc.org

Assembly leaders attend USC Gala Banquet in Honor of Ambassador John
M. Evans

Los Angeles, CA – Armenian Assembly Board of Trustees Members Lisa
Kalustian and Richard Mushegain, along with Executive Director Bryan
Ardouny and Community Relations Director Narine Zardarian, attended
the University of Southern California (USC), Institute of Armenian
Studies Second Anniversary Gala Banquet in honor of former
U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John M. Evans on March 4.

In his remarks, Ambassador Evans said he found it unusual that anyone
– even a former government official – should be honored for simply
speaking the truth. In 2005, Evans publicly declared that "the
Armenian Genocide was the first genocide of the Twentieth Century."

"I knew what I was doing and knew it might have consequences for my
career," he explained. "The decision was wholly mine.  No one put me
up to it. I stand by it. I have taken responsibility for it, paid a
price for it." 

"One country’s official policy of denying the Armenian Genocide
interferes with the process of seeking the truth; other countries’
policies of going along with denial do not serve the truth.  Instead
what we have seen is the horrific murder of Hrant Dink forty days
ago," he continued.

"The Armenian Genocide should be recognized as such by this Congress,"
Evans added. 

Assembly Board of Trustees Chairman Hirair Hovnanian, in a letter to
Evans, thanked the former Ambassador for his dedication and support on
issues of importance to the Armenian-American community during his
distinguished career in the American Foreign Service.

Longtime Assembly Members Elizabeth Agbabian and Savey Tufenkian
served as co-chairs of the Gala Banquet Committee, while Diane
Cabraloff and Flora Dunaians among others, served as Committee
Members.

The Armenian Assembly is the largest Washington-based nationwide
organization promoting public understanding and awareness of Armenian
issues.  It is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership organization.

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NR#2007-033