WATERTOWN, MA — North Carolina Senate hopeful Elizabeth Dole pledged her support for maintaining Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act.
Speaking to the Armenian Professional Society (APS) in Los Angeles, Dole stated, “Section 907 of the landmark Freedom Support Act was authored by Senator Bob Dole in 1991. It testifies to our nation’s commitment to open borders, regional economic integration, and the peaceful settlement of conflicts.”
She further stressed, “this provision of law, enacted in 1992, should remain in place until Azerbaijan has met its terms, specifically by ending its illegal blockades against the people of Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh.”
Dole, who recently announced her candidacy for the US Senate in hopes of replacing retiring Senator Jesse Helms, was recognized by the APS as their “Professional of the Year,”
“Elizabeth Dole has been a consistent advocate of many of the issues of concern to the Armenian American community,” stated Arin Gregorian, Director of the Armenian National Committee of America Eastern Region (ANCA ER). “Her committed stance in support of Section 907, despite Administration pressure to lift the ban on US aid to Azerbaijan, is a clear indication of what to expect when she moves from candidate to US Senator. We look forward to her leadership,” continued Gregorian.
Section 907 of the Freedom Support Act was adopted by Congress and signed into law by President George Bush in 1992. While this provision of law restricts certain types of direct U.S. aid to the government of Azerbaijan until it lifts its blockades of Armenia and Nagorno Karabagh, it does not prevent humanitarian, democracy-building, anti-crime, and anti-proliferation assistance.
Elizabeth Dole and her husband, former Senate Majority Leader Bob Dole (R-KS), have both been leading advocates on issues of concern to Armenian Americans. Mrs. Dole, a native of `Salisbury, North Carolina, served in the cabinets of presidents Ronald Reagan and George Bush and headed the American Red Cross. She made an unsuccessful bid for the Republican presidential nomination in 2000. Both she and her husband traveled to Armenia following the devastating December 1988 earthquake to personally survey the damage and help organize relief efforts.
Those interested in supporting Elizabeth Dole’s Senate campaign can do so by contacting Alice Kelikian or Silva Bezdikian, who are leading her national outreach campaign to Armenian Americans. For more information, please call 617-868-5947.
The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) is the largest and most influential Armenian-American grassroots political organization. The ANCA actively advances a broad range of issues of concern to the Armenian-American community.
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