Armenian National Committee of America
888 17th St., NW, Suite 904
Washington, DC 20006
Tel: (202) 775-1918
Fax: (202) 775-5648
E-mail: anca@anca.org
Internet:
PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 18, 2005
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918
ANCA WELCOMES SEN. BROWNBACK’S SUPPORT FOR
U.S. RECOGNITION OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE.
— Following Remarks during Live C-SPAN Call-in Program,
Kansas Senator Calls on President Bush to Properly
Commemorate the First Genocide of the 20th Century
WASHINGTON, DC – Senator Sam Brownback (R-KS), an influential member
of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and a leading proponent of
U.S. action to stop the genocide in the Darfur region of Sudan, has
called on President Bush to properly recognize the Armenian Genocide
as a “genocide” in his April 24th comments, reported the Armenian
National Committee of America (ANCA).
In the years since his election in 1996, Senator Brownback has not
traditionally supported Armenian Genocide recognition initiatives
or other issues of special concern to Armenian Americans. He came
to prominence in the Armenian American community in the 1990s as
the leading opponent of Section 907, a provision of U.S. law that
restricts aid to Azerbaijan due to its illegal blockades of Armenia
and Nagorno Karabagh.
Answering questions last week on C-SPAN’s Morning Journal, a popular
cable television call-in program about the Darfur Genocide, the
Senator responded to a question from Armenian National Committee
-Fresno activist Richard Sanikian about his opposition to legislation
about the Armenian Genocide. Specifically, Sanikian noted that we
was “very curious why, for a number of years, [Senator Brownback]
has always opposed Armenian Genocide [recognition] year after year.”
He noted that the Senator’s conduct was “very disturbing” and expressed
his “hope he has a change of heart and since he is talking about
morality and humanitarian issues now I hope that this coming April
24 he moves into that direction because we have a lot of Armenians
Americans in the United States – we’re tax payers – we work hard in
this country and we want our senators… and we want you to join the
rest of the senators and move this issue forward.”
In his response, Senator Brownback said that he “appreciate[d] the
question,” and clarified that, “I do not oppose a recognition of the
Armenian Genocide that took place.” He added that past genocides
“should be recognized for what they are. . . when people are killed
in mass numbers and tried to be wiped out and many were killed in
what took place. . . I am not opposed whatsoever to recognizing the
genocide that took place in Armenia, but we do need to do what we can
to grow those areas, to get democracy to take root in the region,
which is starting to. . . [in] Georgia, Kyrgizstan. . . we need it
to many of the areas as well.”
“We welcome the support of Senator Brownback for U.S. recognition of
the Armenian Genocide, and join with him in working to strengthen the
American response to the genocide taking place in the Darfur region
Sudan,” said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. “Armenian
Americans – victims of the first genocide of the 20th century –
deeply appreciate his leadership, along with Senator Jon Corzine,
on the Darfur Genocide Accountability Act.”
Sen. Brownback joined this week with over 30 of his Senate colleagues
in cosigning a Congressional letter to President Bush urging him to
honor his pledge to recognize the Armenian Genocide. A similar letter
in the House of Representatives has garnered over 175 signatures.
To watch the interview on the C-SPAN archive, visit the C-SPAN website
and fast forward roughly 25 minutes into the broadcast.
Senators Brownback (R-KS) & Corzine (D-NJ)
Situations in Rwanda and Sudan and other topical issues.
4/7/2005: WASHINGTON, DC: 45 minutes:
C-SPAN rtsp://video.c-span.org/15days/wj040705_sens.rm
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