Armenian Assembly of America
1140 19th Street, NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202-393-3434
Fax: 202-638-4904
Email: info@aaainc.org
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PRESS RELEASE
July 12, 2007

CONTACT: Christine Kojoian

E-mail: ckojoian@aaainc.org

Armenian Assembly of America and ArmeniaNow.com
Announcement of Partnership

Washington, DC – The Armenian Assembly of America and ArmeniaNow.com
internet journal are pleased to announce the beginning of a partnership
project, intended to reach Armenia and the Diaspora with news of the
Assembly’s advocacy from the U.S. capital and matters of general
interest from Armenia.

The cooperation between the Armenian Assembly and ArmeniaNow will
facilitate more efficient and broader coverage on issues in Washington
of special interest to Armenia and Armenians worldwide. Specifically,
when news of particular interest breaks on Capitol Hill, ArmeniaNow
journalists will provide informed, fact-based reports for the journal’s
readers. In 2007, ArmeaniaNow.com was reporting 150,000 visits per
month.

"ArmeniaNow is a leading online news service in Armenia with a proven
record of disseminating balanced and factual reports to a growing
worldwide audience," said Assembly Board of Trustees Member Anthony
Barsamian.

The cooperation also makes it available for Armenian Assembly and
ArmeniaNow associates and interns to work in the ArmeniaNow newsroom in
Yerevan and the Assembly’s Washington, Los Angeles and Yerevan offices,
where they will gain a better understanding of the inner workings of
Congress, a sharper picture of U.S.-Armenia and Armenia-Diaspora
relations, as well as an appreciation of journalism in an emerging
democracy like Armenia.

"This is a natural partnership for the shared goals of ArmeniaNow and of
the Assembly," said John Hughes, editor of ArmeniaNow.com. "Our aim is
to make our journal the premiere source of information for local and
Diaspora Armenians. At the same time, we are pleased to serve an
advocacy role for the Assembly, whose work is consistent with our
general philosophy of strengthening Armenia’s place in the world."

The partnership is made possible through an Assembly grant to ArmeniaNow
which, in addition to creating a consistent presence for Assembly news
through a designated link on the website, will also make it possible for
ArmeniaNow to expand its influence by opening regional bureaus and
upgrading its technology.

"We are encouraged by the quality of their work product, by the
independence and integrity of their newsroom operation, and their
commitment to open and independent journalistic standards," said
Barsamian.

Since its inception in 2002, ArmeniaNow has stood as a model for other
local media in Armenia by serving as a newsroom laboratory and training
journalists and editors in the concepts and standards of western-style
journalism.

Based in Yerevan, ArmeniaNow is published by New Times Journalism
Training Center, a Non-Governmental Organization. Since 2003, The NGO
has been supported by the Armenian General Benevolent Union.

Established in 1972, the Armenian Assembly of America 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.

NR#2007-069