AS GOVERNOR, HUCKABEE NOTED ARMENIAN DEATHS AS ‘GENOCIDE’

Russellville Courier, AR
Oct 17 2007

LITTLE ROCK (AP) – As Arkansas’ governor, Republican presidential
hopeful Mike Huckabee’s action labeling the World War I-era killings
of Armenians by Turks genocide drew no criticism.

That’s not the case for Congress. A decision by the House Foreign
Affairs Committee to send a similar resolution to a full vote drew
condemnation from Turkish officials and sent Turkey’s U.S. ambassador
back to Ankara this week for consultations.

President Bush opposes the bill, worried it would fracture a fragile
relationship with Turkey, a Middle East ally as the war in Iraq
continues.

Then-Gov. Mike Huckabee signed a proclamation declaring a "Day
of Remembrance of the Armenian Genocide" on March 7, 2001. The
proclamation also said the current Turkish government "engages in
a campaign of ‘denial of the Armenian Genocide.’" Huckabee also
proclaimed April 23 as "Turkish Heritage and Children’s Day" and
April 24 as a "Day of Remembrance of the Turkish and Armenian Tragedy."

Leo Stepanian, the son of Armenian immigrants, said he requested
Huckabee sign the recognition. However, the Fort Smith resident remains
indignant over the other proclamations. He said his mother lost four
brothers and his father lost nearly his entire family in the killings.

"It was not a tragedy. It was a genocide," Stepanian said.

Historians estimate up to 1.5 million Armenians were killed by Ottoman
Turks around the time of World War I. Scholars view it as the first
genocide of the 20th century, but Turkey says the toll has been
inflated and that those killed were victims of civil war and unrest.

Alice Stewart, a spokeswoman for Huckabee, said the former governor
had "no intention to make a political point" with the proclamation.

"The 2001 proclamations were like many proclamations requested by
Arkansas citizens," Stewart said.

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