A delegation representing   American-Armenian organizations met with senior State Department officials this week to seek workable solutions to gaps in the delivery of U.S. and international aid to vulnerable Armenians, in Syria, Armenia and Lebanon.

In a meeting held on Monday with officials of three key State Department bureaus - Population, Refugees and Migration; Near Eastern Affairs, and; European and Eurasian Affairs - the delegation underscored the urgent humanitarian needs faced by at-risk Armenians who remain - due to ongoing gaps in existing aid-delivery models - in great measure without the benefit of international assistance.

The Armenian American delegation included Chairman of the ANCA, Ken Hachikian; Chairman of the ARF Eastern United States, Dr. Hayg Oshagan; Chairman of the ARF Western United States, Dr. Viken Hovsepian; Talin Daghlian, Chairperson of the Armenian Relief Society of Eastern USA, representing the ARS; ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian, and; ANCA Governmental Affairs Director Kate Nahapetian.  Speaking on behalf of Armenian Americans, and reflecting the sense of urgency among Armenians worldwide, they stressed the need for U.S. policymakers to ensure the delivery of aid to at-risk Armenians in Aleppo and elsewhere throughout Syria, to provide humanitarian and housing support for Armenian refugees in Lebanon, and to leverage bilateral and international assistance to help those in Armenia transition toward self-sufficient citizenship in their homeland.

For their part, State Department officials, during the course of an hour-long meeting, offered their assurances regarding the commitment of the United States to the protection of the Armenian community in Syria, and expressed an eagerness to engage with the Armenian American community in addressing any gaps in the delivery of aid to Syrian Armenians - in Syria, Armenia, and Lebanon.   

In testimony submitted to this panel, ANCA Government Affairs Director Kate Nahapetian cited the Syrian crisis as an Armenian American priority, and called for the allocation of additional U.S. resources to assist the community in Syria and those who have fled to Lebanon and Armenia .  The text of the ANCA testimony is available at: http://anca.org/press_releases/press_releases.php?prid=2422

Armenian Americans can continue urging President Obama and Congress to take decisive action in support of Syrian Armenian relief efforts by sending an ANCA Action Alert at: http:/www.anca.org/syria