KIRO MANOYAN: MANY TIMES THE US HAS CONFIRMED ITS RECOGNITION OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

ArmRadio.am
23.04.2007 16:06

The inclusion of the issue of recognition of the 1915 Armenian
Genocide in the foreign policy agenda of Armenia has strengthened
Armenian diplomacy and increased the number of countries recognizing
the fact of the Armenian Genocide, Head of the Armenian Revolutionary
Federation (ARF) Bureau’s Hay Dat and Political Affairs Office Kiro
Manoyan declared in Yerevan today. In his words, today the Armenian
authorities are aspiring to have Turkey recognize the Genocide not
only as a historic fact, but also as an acceptance of their guilt
and responsibility before the Armenian nation.

Kiro Manoyan said the US has many times reconfirmed its stance on the
Genocide. In his opinion, it took place in 1973, 1984 and 1993. Today
the question is on a completely different level – the recognition of
the Armenian Genocide is a fact, and the Congress simply demands from
the President to replace the expression "the tragic events of 1915"
with the word "genocide."

ARF representative expressed the opinion that "Turkey itself has
raised a noise around the House resolution, thus attaching importance
to the document and promoting the activity of the Armenian lobby."

In Kiro Manoyan’s words, the threats of the Turkish authorities to
the United States are common blackmail, since Turkey needs US support
and it will hardly undertake extremist steps against the United States.

Manoyan mentioned also that the opening of the Armenian-Turkish
border cannot be viewed as a reimbursement on the part of Turkey,
and the parties should negotiate the return of territories.