Congressman Peter King (R-Ny-3) offers remarks on the Armenian Genocide

armradio.am
26.04.2008 14:09

Congressman Peter King (R-NY-3) reaffirmed the historical fact of the
Armenian Genocide in remarks offered for the Congressional Record on
Thursday, April 24, 2008 reported the Armenian National Committee of
New York (ANC of NY).

The issued statement was in response to appeals made by His Eminence
Archbishop Oshagan Choloyan, Prelate of the Armenian Apostolic Church
of America, and genocide survivor Alice Shnorhokian who were joined by
representatives of the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) to
ask that the congressman support the Armenian Genocide Resolution, H.
Res. 106, during a meeting on Wednesday, April 23, 2008 in Washington,
DC.

Speaking at the meeting, Cong. King told the delegation of Armenian
community leaders that he has always known that the events of 1915
constituted genocide, and pledged to include such language in a
statement to be offered for the Congressional Record.

In his remarks, he stated: "Today I rise to mark the anniversary of the
Armenian Genocide which began on this date ninety-three years ago. From
1915-1923 the Ottoman Empire carried out the deportation of
approximately 2 million Armenian men, women, and children from their
homeland of which 1.5 million were killed. And to this day, neither the
Ottoman nor Turkish governments have been held to account for their
involvement."

Among those present at the meeting were His Eminence Archbishop Oshagan
Choloyan, Prelate of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America, Rev. Fr.
Sarkis Aktavoukian, pastor of Soorp Khatch Armenian Church of Bethesda,
Maryland; ANCA National Board member Onnik Petrossian; ANCA Eastern
Region Executive Director Karine Birazian; ANCA Government Affairs
Director Kate Nahapetian; ANCA Legislative Affairs Director Raffi
Karakashian; Henry Dumanian, a constituent; and Vahig Shnorhokian and
Tsoleen Sarian, grandchildren of Alice Shnorhokian.

After learning of the congressman’s statement, ANC of NY Chairman Doug
Geogerian said: "We greatly appreciate the congressman’s affirmation of
the Armenian Genocide. We look forward to his support for getting the
entire House of Representatives to vote in favor of the Armenian
Genocide resolution, H. Res. 106."