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
Web:

PRESS RELEASE
October 11, 2007
CONTACT: Christine Kojoian
E-mail: ckojoian@aaainc.org

ARMENIAN ASSEMBLY PRAISES PELOSI FOR COMMITMENT TO SCHEDULE VOTE ON
ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RESOLUTION

RESPONDS TO RECALL OF TURKISH AMBASSADOR

Washington, DC – The Armenian Assembly of America today issued the
following statement after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) told
reporters she will not back down to Turkish and White House pressure and
intends to bring the Armenian Genocide resolution (H. Res. 106) to the
floor for a vote by the full House.

The announcement from Pelosi today comes one day after the resolution
was approved by a bi-partisan majority of the House Foreign Affairs
Committee. A link to Pelosi’s press conference is attached below.

"We applaud Speaker Pelosi for standing firm on her commitment to
history and truth," said Armenian Assembly Executive Director Bryan
Ardouny. "The opponents of this common-sense resolution – including the
White House and the Turkish government and its army of lobbyists – have
thrown every excuse at the resolution trying to create a political
tsunami to prevent a vote. The entire Armenian-American community stands
united with Speaker Pelosi and commends her for standing firm in the
face of this alarmist drumbeat and outright blackmail by Turkey and its
deniers. We know we have the support to pass it into law and I look
forward to the full House going on record on this critical issue that
has been neglected for far too long."

Ardouny added that the Assembly, which has been working with Members of
Congress since its inception in 1972, intends to continue working
vigorously for passage of H. Res. 106. In the days and months leading up
to yesterday’s successful committee vote on this issue, the Assembly
organized its more than 10,000 members to call, write and email members
of Congress and provide them with accurate information about this issue
to counter the misleading statements from Turkey.

Regarding Turkey’s recall of their ambassador to the U.S. in response to
the House Foreign Affairs Committee’s vote affirming the Armenian
Genocide, Ardouny said, "The House demonstrated yesterday that they
won’t allow the war in Iraq to be used as leverage against them.
Members of Congress stood up against those pressure tactics by affirming
the Armenian Genocide and we’re encouraged by the fact that Speaker
Pelosi went on the record today in defense of the truth."

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.

Editor’s Note: To watch Pelosi’s press conference, go to:

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