Armenian National Committee – San Diego County
San Diego, California 91216
Phone: 818.500.1918
Fax: 818.246.7353
ancwr@anca.org

PRESS RELEASE
: September 12, 2007

Contact: Garo Artinian

Tel: (818) 500-1918

ANC of San Diego County Thanks Congressman Filner for Ongoing Support of
Armenian Genocide Legislation

Chula Vista, CA – On Saturday, September 1st, the Armenian National
Committee of San Diego County (ANC SDC) met with Congressman Bob Filner
(D-CA-51). ANC-Western Region Community Relations Director, Haig Hovsepian
joined ANC SDC activist and Filner constituent, Jack Bournazian to discuss
the status of H. Res. 106, the Armenian Genocide resolution, as well as
US-Armenia relations.

Bournazian thanked the Congressman for his early support of the resolution
and urged the Congressman to support stronger relations between the US and
Armenia. Bournazian discussed a recent visit of his to Armenia and noted
the great economic potential and civil society growth. He argued that the
United States should continue to increase its support of Armenia as it has
demonstrated strong democratic and economic growth since its independence in
1991. Hovsepian also noted that Armenia’s strong democratic and economic
credentials rivaled that of its neighbors and many of the former Soviet
states.

Both Bournazian and Hovsepian expressed their concern regarding continued
efforts by the United States Administration to lower aid to Armenia while
increasing aid to Azerbaijan. Military aid parity was a cornerstone of the
agreement with the Administration when Congress granted the President the
right to waive Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act. The act prevented
aid to Azerbaijan so long as it maintained a blockade against Armenia. The
increasingly corruption-riddled, dictatorial regime in Azerbaijan has
repeatedly threatened to forego diplomacy and resort to military force to
wipe out the de facto independence of Nagorno-Karabagh.

Filner reiterated his continued support for the Armenian Genocide resolution
and urged the community to continue to pressure the Democratic leadership to
move the resolution forward through the House of Representatives. The
Congressman also said he would raise the matter with Speaker Pelosi once the
session resumed in September.

"We are happy to work with the ANC of San Diego County in its efforts to
keep connected with its elected representatives," said Hovsepian. "Thanks
to concerned constituents like Mr. Bournazian, Congressman Filner knows that
support of H. Res. 106 and stronger US-Armenia relations are a priority in
his district."

The Armenian National Committee of America 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.