Armenian Assembly of America
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PRESS RELEASE
March 17, 2005
CONTACT: Christine Kojoian
Email: ckojoian@aaainc.org

CONGRESSMAN RADANOVICH PLEDGES TO SUPPORT GENOCIDE REAFFIRMATION EFFORTS

Washington, DC – The Armenian Assembly’s campaign for reaffirmation of
the Armenian Genocide gained strength today as Representative George
Radanovich (R-CA), a member of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian
Issues, vowed to sponsor and support initiatives leading to
U.S. recognition of the attempted annihilation of the Armenian people.

In a speech before Congress today, Radanovich thanked current and
former U.S. Ambassadors to Armenia John Evans and Harry Gilmore for
publicly using the term to characterize this crime against humanity.

“I thank the Ambassadors for their statements and pledge to continue
my ongoing efforts to sponsor initiatives that would build on the
U.S. record towards an inevitable, full and irrevocable
U.S. reaffirmation of the Armenian Genocide,” Radanovich said.

Evans, who has studied Russian and Ottoman History at Yale and
Columbia Universities, as well as the Kennan Institute, publicly
affirmed the Armenian Genocide during meetings with major
Armenian-American communities last month. During those exchanges,
Evans declared, “the Armenian Genocide was the first genocide of the
twentieth century.”

Gilmore, who has also studied the subject extensively, recently told
Radio Free Europe/ Radio Liberty (RFE/RL) that, “There is no doubt
that the Armenian events were genocide.”

The former diplomat told the news agency that the United Nations
Genocide Convention, which was adopted following World War II, “sets
up a standard and the massacres and deportations of the Ottoman
Armenians meet that standard fully.”

On the heels of these and other pubic declarations, the Armenian
Assembly launched a national campaign to urge President Bush to
properly recognize the Armenian Genocide in his statement of
remembrance next month. To that end, the Assembly mobilized its
nationwide network of activists to join this effort, and those of
Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues Co-Chairs Joe Knollenberg
(R-MI) and Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), who are rallying Members of
Congress to urge the President to formally recognize the Genocide.

The Armenian Assembly of America is the largest Washington-based
nationwide organization promoting public understanding and awareness
of Armenian issues. It is a 501 (c) (3) tax-exempt membership
organization.

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NR#2005-028

A photograph of Congressman Radanovich is available at the following
link:

Editor’s Note: Attached is the full text of Congressman Radanovich
comments as delivered today on the floor of the House of
Representatives.

Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commend Harry Gilmore, the first American
Ambassador to Armenia, who is the latest U.S. official to publicly
acknowledge the Armenian Genocide and to call for international
recognition.

In an interview with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, the retired
diplomat recently said, “There is no doubt that the Armenian events
were genocide.”

Gilmore’s comments followed those of current U.S. Ambassador to
Armenia, John Evans, who recently evoked the Armenian Genocide during
his first stateside visit to Armenian communities across the country.
During a series of public exchanges with Armenians late last month,
Evans stated, “the Armenian Genocide was the first genocide of the
twentieth century.”

As a proud member of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues and
an ardent supporter of Fresno’s Armenian-American community, I thank
the Ambassadors for their statements and pledge to continue my ongoing
efforts to sponsor initiatives that would build on the U.S. record
towards an inevitable, full and irrevocable U.S. affirmation of the
Armenian Genocide.

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