ANCA - Truth or Consequences‏

August 28, 2009 The Consequences of Broken Promises ANCA Cites President's Responsibility for Court Ruling Against Return of Genocide Era Assets 1) ANC Mourns Passing of Armenian Issues Stalwart Sen. Ted Kennedy 2) ANCA Confronts Bryza Bias on Nagorno Karabagh 3) Ohio: Schmidt v. Krikorian Update -- Sibel Edmonds Deposition video available online | Watch Now | -- Krikorian Team deposes Rep. Schmidt | Read Story | 4) Two Evenings Honoring Grassroots Civic Participation -- The ACAA presents the 3rd Annual ANCA Eastern Region Banquet - October 3,2009, New York City -- ANC Western Region Banquet - November 8, 2009 Hachikian to President Obama: "You Bear Direct Responsibility. . ." WASHINGTON, DC – Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) Chairman Ken Hachikian today called on President Barack Obama to reject a misguided federal appeals court decision striking down a California law to allow for the return of Armenian Genocide-era assets, and encouraged him to immediately and publicly affirm that it is not the “express federal policy” of the United States, as the court argued, to prohibit the recognition of this crime by the Congress or the states. The letter follows a August 20th flawed ruling of a three judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in the case of Movsesian v. Versicherung A.G. (No. 07-56722), that struck down a California law providing remedies for Armenian Genocide-era wrongs. The ruling contended that state level recognition of this crime contradicts "express federal policy" and is therefore unconstitutional. "You bear direct responsibility, Mr. President, by virtue of your failure to keep your repeated, crystal clear pledges to recognize the Armenian Genocide, for the Court's judgment that it is the official policy of the Executive Branch of the United States government to actively oppose proper recognition of this crime and, upon this basis, to thus prohibit states from passing laws to help Armenian Genocide-era victims seek to reclaim lost or stolen property," said Hachikian in an August 25th letter to President Obama. Hachikian's letter to President Obama also noted that the ANCA's and Armenian American community's frustration is not limited solely to his broken promise related to Armenian Genocide recognition, but also extends to " your White House's use of Turkey's cynically-inspired ‘roadmap’ to defer U.S. recognition, and your State Department's shameless pressure on Armenia to accept the artificial 'historical commission' that Ankara has long advanced to prevent the proper recognition of this crime." Read more. . . -- LATEST NEWS: Lawyers to Appeal 9th Circuit Ruling ANC Mourns Passing of Armenian Issues Stalwart Sen. Ted Kennedy WATERTOWN, MA – The Armenian National Committee of Massachusetts joined with citizens of the Commonwealth and Armenian Americans across the U.S. in mourning the passing of Senate icon and lifelong advocate of Armenian issues, Senator Ted Kennedy. “Since his election in 1962, Senator Kennedy has been a fighter for Armenian Genocide recognition, supporter of an independent and prosperous Armenia and a defender of the right to self-determination of the people of Nagorno Karabagh,” said ANC of Massachusetts Co-Chair Dikran Kaligian. “We join with ANCA leaders on the national, regional and local levels and our community in Massachusetts in honoring the life and legacy of Sen. Kennedy and extend our deepest condolences to the Kennedy family.” Read more. . . ANCA Confronts Bryza Bias on Nagorno Karabagh Chairman Ken Hachikian Outlines Envoy's Failings; Challenges State Department Pressure on Armenia to Accept Flawed Madrid Principles; Calls on Secretary Clinton to Stop the Outsourcing of U.S. Policy on Armenian Issues WASHINGTON, DC – Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) Chairman Ken Hachikian today sent a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton outlining the concerns of the Armenian American community regarding the recent biased remarks by Matt Bryza, the U.S. Co-Chair to the OSCE Minsk Group charged with helping to negotiate a settlement of the Nagorno Karabagh conflict. The four-page letter, dated August 20, 2009, addressed, in detail, recent unfair, inaccurate, and counter-productive statements by Bryza, and, more broadly, expressed the view that his actions reflect the failings of an Administration that, having already broken a series of pledges to Armenian Americans, is now in the process of effectively handing over decision-making on U.S. policy on Armenian issues to the Turkish government: In the letter, Hachikian stressed: "Today, seven months after the start of the Obama-Biden Administration, we are seriously concerned that this Administration has abdicated its responsibilities by effectively outsourcing our nation's foreign policy with respect to Armenian issues to the Republic of Turkey, as every single policy dealing with Armenia has been made along the lines that Turkey has dictated, rather than along the sound principles of morality and democracy that you, President Obama and Vice President Biden unambiguously articulated during your presidential campaigns last year." Read more. . . 4) Two Evenings Honoring Grassroots Civic Participation ACAA ANNOUNCES HONOREES FOR ANNUAL BANQUET IN SUPPORT OF ANCA EASTERN REGION -- Bandazian and Kerneklian Named Vahan Cardashian Awardees NEW YORK, NY- The Armenian Cultural Association of America (ACAA) announced the honorees for the Third Annual Banquet and Awards Program in support of the Armenian National Committee of America Eastern Region and its tradition of service to the Armenian-American community. The ACAA will host the event, which will take place on Saturday, October 3, 2009 at Espace in New York City. As a key part of the banquet’s awards program, the Vahan Cardashian Award will be presented to the brother-sister pair of Bedros Bandazian and Melanie Kerneklian, both from Richmond, Virginia, who have dedicated a lifetime of steadfast activism to the ANCA at both local and leadership levels. Influential figures in their state’s political and community life, having served volunteer appointments to a number of state-wide projects and commissions, Bandazian and Kerneklian are among the founders of the Richmond ANC and have led countless grassroots educational campaigns in support of Armenian issues. Read more. . . 2009 ANC-WR BANQUET PLANS UNDERWAY PASADENA, CA - The Armenian National Committee, Western Region (ANC-WR) is pleased to announce plans to hold its annual regional banquet on Sunday, November 8, 2009 at the newly renovated Pasadena Convention Center Ballroom. The ANC-WR Banquet will highlight the organization’s accomplishment and current activities. The evening will also include an awards ceremony—acknowledging elected officials and community activists who have shown extraordinary courage and devotion to freedom and justice. Past recipients include Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, Senator Robert Menendez, Congressman Ed Royce and State Senator Jackie Speier. “After last year’s highly successful sold-out affair at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, this year’s annual banquet promises to elevate the community’s activism and enthusiasm even further,” commented ANC-WR Banquet Chair Elizabeth Boyadjian. “With our strong relationship with the City of Pasadena and its leaders along with the Convention Center’s capability to accommodate such a large and prestigious guest list, the venue is impressive and appropriate.” Read more. . . Search the web with www.goodsearch.com and money from Yahoo advertisers will go to the ANCA without you spending a dime. A penny per search! Use www.goodshop.com for online purchases from hundreds of popular sites and a percentage comes back to the ANCA. When you GoodSearch & GoodShop - Choose the ANCA ! 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