Thousands Visit anca.org/countdown for Month-long Countdown to Erdogan's December 7th White House Visit  WASHINGTON, DC - The Armenian National Committee of America's (ANCA) 'Countdown to Erdogan' moves from the internet to phone lines on Thursday, November 12 with the launch of a National Call-In Day to encourage Senators to cosponsor and work for the adoption of the Armenian Genocide Resolution, S.Res.316. "The strong early response by Armenian Americans - and also a growing number of non-Armenians - to our 'Countdown to Erdogan' campaign has really broadened our community's civic engagement, with thousands of WebMails already being sent to support both the adoption of the Armenian Genocide Resolution and decisive U.S. action to end the genocide in Darfur," said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. "We now urge team members to pick up the phone and call their Senators to thank those who have already cosponsored the initiative and urge others to take immediate action." Read More. . .
 ANCA Chairman Defines the Stakes: Survival or Surrender "We must keep our aspirations burning bright, our moral compass aligned toward justice, and our nation moving forward. We must choose survival, not surrender."
- Ken Hachikian WASHINGTON, DC - Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) Chairman Ken Hachikian called on Armenians worldwide to choose survival over surrender, in his remarks before federal, state, and local public officials, a broad array of coalition partners, and hundreds of community leaders gathered on November 8th at the Pasadena Convention Center for the ANC-Western Region's annual banquet. Read the full text of Hachikian's remarks. . .
McCain Recognizes the Armenian Genocide Action Highlights President Obama's Reversal on his Pledge to Properly Recognize this Crime  WASHINGTON, DC - The Republican Party's 2008 Presidential nominee, Arizona Senator John McCain, has publicly and properly recognized the Armenian Genocide, breaking with his longstanding silence on this human rights issue and, in the process, dramatically underscoring the post-election retreat by his campaign opponent, President Barack Obama, from his high-profile pledge to properly condemn and commemorate this crime, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA). "I believe that genocide was committed against the Armenian people, and I think there is ample documentation of that," Sen. McCain told the Voice of America Georgian language service in an interview focusing on the Caucasus as well as Armenia-Turkey relations. During the 2008 Presidential campaign, Sen. McCain issued two statements to the Armenian American community, both falling short of properly characterizing as genocide the Ottoman Turkish Government's deportation and annihilation of its Armenian community. "It is fair to say that one of the greatest tragedies of the 20th century, the brutal murder of as many as one and a half million Armenians under the rule of the Ottoman Empire, has also been one of the most neglected. The suffering endured by the Armenian people during that period represented the prologue to what has come to be known as humanity's bloodiest century," stated Sen. McCain in a September 29, 2008, statement. Read more. . .
2010 Colorado U.S. Senate Contenders Speak Out on Armenian Genocide Recognition  WASHINGTON, DC - The two leading contenders for Colorado's Democratic U.S. Senate nomination, Andrew Romanoff and Michael Bennet, have staked out their views on U.S. recognition of the Armenian Genocide, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA). Romanoff, a longstanding and vocal advocate for Armenian Genocide recognition, announced his candidacy on September 16th, challenging Bennet, who has held this Senate seat since he was appointed earlier this year by Colorado's Governor Bill Ritter to fill the vacancy left when Ken Salazar departed the Senate to serve as Secretary of the Interior. During his service in the Senate, Salazar established a record, along with nearly all the other members in the state's Congressional delegation, of co-sponsoring the Armenian Genocide Resolution, advocating Armenian priorities, and supporting anti-genocide initiatives. In an exclusive letter to the Rocky Mountain Hye Advocates, Romanoff, the former Speaker of the Colorado House, reviewed his extensive record in support of Armenian American concerns and pledged, if elected, to be an original co-sponsor of a Senate Armenian Genocide Resolution. Rocky Mountain Hye Advocates co-editor and ANCA activist Vi Bashian Cooper praised Mr. Romanoff's steadfast record of support stating; "Speaker Romanoff has repeatedly demonstrated his longstanding loyalty to our community and our abiding wish to have the Armenian Genocide affirmed as United States policy. His actions as a Colorado state legislator, including his service as Speaker of the House, confirm his consistent dedication and honor to Colorado Armenian Americans. Mr. Romanoff is one of those rare shining lights of character and intellect on the Colorado political stage. He will represent our Rocky Mountain state and our national Armenian-American community with distinction should he be elected to the United States Senate." Read more. . .
Face to Face: ANCA Eastern Region Confronts Azeri Deputy Foreign Minister NEW YORK, NY - ANCA Eastern Region Executive Director Garo Manjikian confronted Azerbaijan Deputy Foreign Minister Araz Azimov on the Aliyev government's track record of war mongering and aggression towards Nagorno-Karabakh, at an event hosted by the Permanent Mission of Azerbaijan to the United Nations and the Harriman Institute of Columbia University last week. Following intense criticism from attendees on Azerbaijan's human rights record and crackdown on pro-democracy institutions, organizers limited questions to three, cutting short discourse on a wide range of audience concerns. Manjikian, asking the second question of the evening stated, "It is very obvious the Azeri Government is working hard to portray itself as a stable, reliable and peaceful country in the Caucasus, while at the same time having an extensive track record of aggression and war mongering towards Nagorno-Karabakh." Manjikian then cited three specific statements that President Aliyev made in the past two years with direct threats to take Nagorno-Karabakh by force. Manjikian continued, "How do you reconcile these two points and can you, right now, state on behalf of the Azerbaijani government that it will not continue or renew any kind of war or threats to use force against Nagorno-Karabakh?" Azimov first answered by arguing that Manjikian's citations did not qualify as war mongering but are really statements regarding Azerbaijan's territorial integrity. Instead, he accused Armenia of war-mongering, arguing that any statements made about the self-determination of Nagorno-Karabakh is an attack on Azerbaijan. Azimov also added that statements coming from Azerbaijan are just a reaction to Armenia, and that there can only be self-rule of Nagorno-Karabakh within Azerbaijan. Read more. . . | 
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