Armenian Assembly of America
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PRESS RELEASE
June 18, 2007
CONTACT: Christine Kojoian
E-mail: ckojoian@aaainc.org

ARMENIAN ASSEMBLY WELCOMES CHAIRMAN BIDEN’S CALL FOR REPEAL OF ARTICLE 301

Senator Supports Nobel Laureates Appeal

Washington, DC – The Armenian Assembly of America today welcomed a
statement from Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Joseph
Biden, Jr. (D-DE), commending the 53 Nobel Laureates who signed an
appeal by the Elie Wiesel Foundation for Humanity in support of
"tolerance, contact and cooperation between Turks and Armenians."

Biden’s statement, which was submitted for the congressional record on
June 15, endorses the Laureates’ call for Turks and Armenians to take
steps to lift the blockade, generate confidence through civil society
cooperation, improve official contact and allow basic freedoms. He
also supports their call on Ankara to end all forms of discrimination
against ethnic and religious minorities and repeal of Article 301 of
the Turkish Penal Code. [To access the report signed by the Nobel
Laureates, go to: ].

Shortly after Hrant Dink’s murder in January, Biden introduced
legislation, condemning the assassination of the Turkish-Armenian
journalist and honoring his legacy of tolerance and peaceful
change. The resolution, known as S. Res. 65, urges Turkey to take
appropriate action to protect freedom of speech by repealing Article
301, which criminalizes public discussion on the Armenian Genocide. 
S. Res. 65 also calls on Turkey to reestablish full diplomatic,
political and economic relations with Armenia.

"There is no question that Article 301 contributed to the toxic
political environment that led up to Mr. Dink’s assassination in
January," Biden explained in his statement.

Turning to the issue of the Armenian Genocide, Biden reiterated the
need for Turks and Armenians to address the "huge gap in perceptions"
that the Laureates identified.  The Laureates called for further study
and dissemination of the International Center for Transitional Justice
(ICTJ) report which concluded that "the Events, viewed collectively,
can thus be said to include all of the elements of the crime of
genocide as defined in the Convention, and legal scholars as well as
historians, politicians, journalists and other people would be
justified in continuing to so describe them." [To access the ICTJ
ruling, go to:
ent_category.5/affirmation_detail.html].

Biden noted that the independent legal study was corroborated by the
International Association of Genocide Scholars, which determined the
events constituted genocide and conform to the statutes of the United
Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Genocide.

"The existence of these independent evaluations of the Armenian
Genocide and relevant international law should provide an opportunity
for both countries to accept the verdict of history and move forward,"
Biden stated.

 "I hope that the words of these Nobel Laureates will encourage the
people of both nations to recognize and ultimately transcend the
legacy of the Armenian Genocide," Biden concluded.  "Once this occurs,
I have every confidence that the people of Armenia and Turkey will be
able to rebuild the ties between their countries and forge a new,
enduring peace."

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.

NR#2007-073

Below is the full text of Senator Biden’s statement, which was
submitted for the congressional record on June 15, 2007.

Statement of Senator Joseph R. Biden, Jr.
Recognizing the Statement of 53 Nobel Laureates on Turkish-Armenian
Reconciliation and Affirmation of the Armenian Genocide

Mr. President, at a time when we are witnessing the devastating
consequences of ethnic and sectarian division in places like Iraq and
Darfur, I believe it is vital to recognize the efforts of those who
work to promote peace and reconciliation.  In that spirit, I want to
commend the 53 Nobel laureates who signed an appeal by the Elie Wiesel
Foundation for Humanity in support of "tolerance, contact and
cooperation between Turks and Armenians." 

In their appeal, the laureates call on both Turks and Armenians to
take the steps necessary to open the Turkish-Armenian border, generate
confidence through civil society cooperation, improve official
contacts, and allow basic freedoms.  As part of this commitment, the
laureates call on Turkey to end all forms of discrimination against
ethnic and religious minorities and abolish Article 301 of the Turkish
Penal Code.  This provision has been used to take legal action against
those that speak out about the Armenian Genocide, including Nobel
laureate Orhan Pamuk and recently murdered Turkish-Armenian journalist
Hrant Dink.  There is no question that Article 301 contributed to the
toxic political environment that led up to Mr. Dink’s assassination in
January. 

The laureates also note that "Turks and Armenians have a huge gap in
perceptions over the Armenian Genocide."  To address this chasm of
understanding, they call for further study and dissemination of a
report prepared by the International Center for Transitional
Justice.  That impartial analysis of the massacres perpetrated
against Armenians in the early twentieth century concluded that the
killings "can be said to include all the elements of the crime of
genocide…"  This finding was corroborated by the International
Association of Genocide Scholars, who issued their own statement in
1997 to reaffirm "that the mass murder of Armenians in Turkey in 1915
is a case of genocide which conforms to the statutes of the United
Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Genocide." 
The existence of these independent evaluations of the Armenian
Genocide and relevant international law should provide an opportunity
for both countries to accept the verdict of history and move forward.

Mr. President, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee has unanimously
passed S. Res. 65, a resolution echoing many of the sentiments
expressed by the laureates and honoring the life of Hrant Dink, a
leading proponent of Turkish-Armenian reconciliation up until the time
of his brutal murder.  It is my hope that the full Senate will adopt
this important measure without further delay.

I congratulate the Wiesel Foundation for its work to produce this
important statement and request consent for it to be entered in the
Record.  I hope that the words of these Nobel laureates will encourage
the people of both nations to recognize and ultimately transcend the
legacy of the Armenian Genocide.  Once this occurs, I have every
confidence that the people of Armenia and Turkey will be able to
rebuild the ties between their countries and forge a new, enduring
peace.

-END-