LA CANADA, CA – The Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region (ANCA-WR) and the National Organization of Republican Armenians (NORA) held a joint meeting to develop a common ground with Republican Armenian Americans on Sunday, December 11, 2004 at the Descanso Gardens. Present among the over fifty active Republican Armenian Americans participating in the meeting were numerous prominent Armenian American leaders including Glendale City Councilman Ara Najarian, Downey City Councilman Kirk Cartozian, Rolling Hills Estates City Councilman Frank Zerunyan, Glendale School Board Member Greg Krikorian, Assistant Superintendent of the Glendale Unified School District Alice Petrossian, former California Assemblyman and current Congressional candidate Howard Kaloogian, and former Mayor of Glendale Larry Zarian.

“This meeting is only one step in a long-term strategy aimed to build a unified focus for a key segment of the Armenian American community,” said Ara Bedrosian, who serves on the ANCA-WR board of directors and as a co-chairman of NORA. “There is a real need for us Republican Armenians to better communicate our shared vision, goals, and tremendous accomplishments in the sphere of public affairs, and we are going to do just that.”

The meeting featured a discussion regarding how to identify Republicans on the local level who are supportive of Armenian American issues. Races of importance during the 2006 election cycle for Armenian American Republicans, including State Senator Chuck Poochigian’s campaign for Attorney General of California and Howard Kaloogian’s candidacy for the 50th Congressional District in northern San Diego County, were also among the topics of discussion.

“I came out of this meeting feeling more strongly than ever that our Armenian American organizations, including the ANCA and NORA, need to step up and support Republicans who have been supportive of issues important to Armenian Americans,” said ANCA-WR Board member Armen Martin. “The candidacies of Senator Poochigian and former Assemblyman Kaloogian to such powerful positions should motivate our community, and I believe we can provide the impetus to turn out our community’s support for both.”

NORA advocates for Armenian American issues within the Republican Party and among Republican office holders and organizations as well as encouraging support for Republican positions and candidates within the Armenian American community. NORA also promotes Republican Armenian American candidates and elected officials.

The ANCA 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.

Photo Caption: Republican Congressional Candidate Howard Kaloogian (center) with Campaign Representative Ara Kachadourian, ANCA WR Board Member Armen Martin, ANCA WR Board Member and NORA Co-Chairman Ara Bedrosian, and ANCA WR Board Member Leonard Manoukian.