ISSUES
Issues of special concern to the Armenian American Republican community include, among others:
Armenian Genocide
Recognition:
In the best tradition of the Republican Party's principled leadership on
international affairs, the U.S. government should formally recognize
that the deliberate massacres of between 1.5 and 2 million Armenians
from 1895-1923 constitutes a genocide as defined in the U.N. Genocide
Convention. (This Convention was approved by the U.S. in 1984
under a Republican President, Ronald Reagan.)
Saving Armenia's Christian
Heritage in Turkey and Azerbaijan:
The U.S. government should take immediate steps to press the Turkish and
Azerbaijani governments to cease the widespread and ongoing destruction
of Armenian Christian churches, relics, cemeteries, and khachkars (stone
crosses) on their territory. These sites, some over 1500 years
old, are an irreplaceable part of the world's Christian heritage and
must be preserved for future generations.
U.S. Assistance to Armenia:
The
U.S. should continue to promote free markets and democracy in Armenia
and Nagorno Karabagh through humanitarian, economic, and civil-society assistance
designed to promote self-sufficiency and to build strong trading
partners for American businesses. This aid is especially important given the ongoing blockade of Armenia by it neighbors, Turkey
and Azerbaijan, which costs Armenia approximately $500 million a year
according to the World Bank.
U.S.-Armenia Bilateral
Relations:
The U.S. government should continually strengthen
the enduring ties forged between the American and Armenian people during
the horrors of the Armenian Genocide and through our collective struggle
against Communism during the hard years of the Cold War.
Cooperation should be encouraged through exchange programs, tax
treaties, social security agreements, and pro-free trade initiatives
designed to promote commerce between both nations.
Self-Determination of
Nagorno Karabagh:
In the tradition of our own founding
fathers, who risked their lives, liberty, and honor to live under a
government of their own choosing, the U.S. government should respect the
inalienable right of the people of Nagorno Karabagh to
self-determination. We should never, as a nation, be in the
morally bankrupt position of supporting Josef Stalin's arbitrary
decision, taken as part of his divide-and-conquer strategy, to place Nagorno Karabagh under Azerbaijani administration.
War on Terrorism:
The Armenian people have throughout history suffered the evils of
state-sponsored terrorism.
Armenian Americans support the
U.S.-led War on Terror and encourage the U.S. government to thoroughly
investigate Al Qaida's extensive links with Turkey and Azerbaijan.
Education:
Armenian private schools in the United States provide a unique
environment for the teaching of the next generation of Armenians about
their Christian faith, ancient language, and rich heritage. School
vouchers can play a critical role in helping Armenian American families
afford to make the choice to send their children to these schools.
Taxation:
Reducing the tax burden on hard working families is important to all
Americans, including Armenian Americans. Tax reforms stimulating
savings and investment while reducing overall taxation on the middle
class is important in creating a healthy economic climate in the United
States.
Social Security:
A healthy social security system is important for
all seniors, including Armenian Americans. In
order to ensure that social security benefits grow and are
available in the future, the U.S. government should provide choices for
wage earners to invest part of their social security
contributions.
Copyright © 2004. National Organization of Republican Armenians (NORA), all rights reserved.