Armenian Assembly of America
1140 19th Street, NW, Suite 600
Washington, DC 20036
Phone: 202-393-3434
Fax: 202-638-4904
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PRESS RELEASE
November 29, 2007
CONTACT: Christine Kojoian
E-mail: [email protected]
ARMENIAN ASSEMBLY MOURNS LOSS OF ILLINOIS CONGRESSMAN HENRY HYDE
Washington, DC – The Armenian Assembly of America today mourns the
loss of former Congressman Henry J. Hyde (R-IL), an advocate for
U.S. reaffirmation of the Armenian Genocide, who believed that
recognition of the truth was in the best interest of the United
States, Turkey and Armenia.
In September 2005, the Armenian Genocide resolution (H. Res. 316) was
overwhelmingly approved by the influential House International
Relations Committee thanks in part to strong support from Committee
Chairman Hyde. The resolution called upon the President "to
accurately characterize the systematic and deliberate annihilation of
1,500,000 Armenians as genocide."
"The argument has been made that these resolutions, if adopted, will
be harmful to [the] interests [of the United States] by undermining
our relationship with Turkey, which all acknowledge to be one of our
allies….But I do not believe that these resolutions will harm that
relationship," Hyde said. "They merely recognize the fact that the
authorities of the Ottoman Empire deliberately slaughtered the
majority of the Armenian community in that empire. Denial of that
fact cannot be justified on the basis of expediency or fear that
speaking the truth will do us harm."
"I believe it is in the interest of the United States and of Turkey
and Armenia both that we take the lead in dealing with this paralyzing
legacy. And we must start with the truth," he added. "For there is no
possibility that this problem can ever be overcome if we seek to
ground any solution on silence and forgetting."
"Congressman Hyde clearly recognized that Turkey’s ongoing denial
campaign in this day and age is both inexplicable and unacceptable,"
said Bryan Ardouny, executive director of the Armenian Assembly. "He
understood that remembrance and recognition of this fact of world
history would go a long way in preventing the recurrence of genocide.
Congressman Hyde’s passing is a great loss. We extend our sympathies
to his family and friends."
In 2003, when the International Relations Committee considered
President Bush’s Millennium Challenge Account, Chairman Hyde
championed the new foreign assistance program saying, "we should
embrace the idea of increasing U.S. economic assistance but only to
those countries that demonstrate a commitment to human rights,
democratic ideals and practices, and investment in people." That same
year, he spearheaded legislation establishing the
government-to-government assistance program. Armenia became one of the
first of 16 countries to qualify and later receive a five-year, $235
million grant from the Millennium Challenge Corporation.
In response to the acute shortage of food, medical supplies and fuel
in Armenia in the early 1990s, Congressman Hyde joined his
congressional colleagues in urging Secretary of State Warren
Christopher to take the necessary steps to address the grave
situation. The congressional appeal urged the Administration to
increase U.S. assistance, press the government of Turkey to provide
reliable transit route for humanitarian supplies to Armenia and
increase U.S. efforts to end the Azeri blockade so that vital
humanitarian assistance and energy can flow unimpeded to the Armenian
people.
Established in 1972, 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#2007-137
Photograph:
leadmin/aaainc/images/PRESS_RELEASES_2007/PR_2007_ November/Henry_Hyde.jpg
Caption: Congressman Henry Hyde (R-IL)