BUSH AGAIN AVOIDS WORD “GENOCIDE”

PanARMENIAN.Net
25.04.2006 20:11 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ In spite of the urge of over 200 Congressmen, US
President George W. Bush again avoided the word “genocide” in his
annual speech on April 24, reports the Armenian National Committee of
America. In his statement Bush specifically said, “Today, we remember
one of the horrible tragedies of the 20th century – the mass killings
and forced exile of as many as 1.5 million Armenians in the final days
of the Ottoman Empire in 1915. This was a tragedy for all humanity and
one that we and the world must never forget. We mourn this terrible
chapter of history and recognize that it remains a source of pain
for people in Armenia and for all those who believe in freedom,
tolerance, and the dignity and value of every human life. It is a
credit to the human spirit and generations of Armenians who live
in Armenia, America, and around the globe that they have overcome
this suffering and proudly preserved their centuries-old culture,
traditions, and religion. We praise the individuals in Armenia and
Turkey who have sought to examine the historical events of this
time with honesty and sensitivity. The analysis by the International
Center for Transitional Justice, while not the final word, has made a
significant contribution toward deepening our understanding of these
events. We encourage dialogues, including through joint commissions,
that strive for a shared understanding of these tragic events and
move Armenia and Turkey towards normalized relations. Today, we look
with hope to a bright future for Armenia.

Armenia’s Millennium Challenge Compact reflects our confidence and the
importance we place in Armenia making progress on democratic reform
and advancement of free markets. We seek to help Armenia bolster its
security and deepen its inclusion in the Euro-Atlantic family. We
remain committed to securing a peaceful and lasting settlement of
the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and hope the leaders of Armenia and
Azerbaijan will take bold steps to achieve this goal. On this solemn
day of remembrance, Laura and I express our deepest condolences to
the Armenian people. Our nations stand together, determined to create
a future of peace, prosperity, and freedom for the citizens of our
countries and the world.”