BUSH OBSERVES ARMENIAN REMEMBRANCE DAY, CALLS FOR DIALOGUE

Washington File, DC
April 25 2006

Also calls on Armenia, Azerbaijan to take bold steps on
Nagorno-Karabakh.

President Bush observed Armenian Remembrance Day April 24 by offering
his condolences to the Armenian people.

On Armenian Remembrance Day, the world observes the anniversary of the
“mass killings and forced exile of as many as 1.5 million Armenians”
in 1915, Bush said.

The president also praised Armenians and Turks “who have sought
to examine the historical events of this time with honesty and
sensitivity” and called for dialogues “that strive for a shared
understanding of these tragic events and move Armenia and Turkey
towards normalized relations.”

Bush also reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to securing a peaceful and
lasting settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and said he hoped
“the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan will take bold steps to achieve
this goal.” (See related article.)

Nagorno-Karabakh is a predominantly ethnic Armenian region within
Azerbaijan where armed conflict began in 1990 in the waning days
of the Soviet Union. The cease-fire agreement brokered by Russia in
1994 left much of western Azerbaijan occupied by Armenian forces and
hundreds of thousands in refugee camps.

For information on U.S. policy in the region, see Europe and Eurasia
and Caucasus.

Following is the text of Bush’s statement:

(begin text)

THE WHITE HOUSE Office of the Press Secretary (Las Vegas, Nevada)

April 24, 2006

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.

GEORGE W. BUSH

(end text)

(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs,
U.S. Department of State. Web site: ).

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress