SENATOR OBAMA PLEDGES CONTINUED EFFORTS TO PRESS TURKEY TO ACKNOWLEDGE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
armradio.am
30.04.2008 10:53
Democratic Presidential Candidate Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) pledged
to continue his efforts to press Turkey to acknowledge the Armenian
Genocide, in a strongly worded statement submitted to the Congressional
Record marking the 93rd Anniversary of this crime against humanity,
reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).
The statement by the Senator, who has been endorsed in the Democratic
primaries by the ANCA, was one of 30 remarks by Senators and
Representatives including those by Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid
(D-NV), Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Joe Biden (D-DE),
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) and DCCC Chairman Chris Van
Hollen (D-MD). Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) offered remarks at the
April 23rd Armenian Genocide observance on Capitol Hill.
"It is imperative that we recognize the horrific acts carried out
against the Armenian people as genocide and I will continue to stand
with the Armenian American community in calling for the Government
of Turkey to acknowledge it as such. The occurrence of the Armenian
genocide is a widely documented fact supported by an overwhelming
collection of historical evidence, Senator Obama said.
"I was deeply disturbed 2 years ago when the U.S. Ambassador to Armenia
was fired after he used the term "genocide" to describe the mass
slaughter of Armenians. I called for Secretary Rice to closely examine
what I believe is an untenable position taken by the U.S. Government.
I will continue to push for the acknowledgement of the Armenian
genocide, and I offer the Armenian people my condolences," Obama
concluded.
"Armenian Americans value Senator Obama’s consistent and principled
leadership in pressuring Turkey to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide
and to end its shameful campaign to deny this crime against humanity,"
said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. "He remains clearly the
best positioned to bring about real change, real action, and real
hope for an end to the cycle of genocide."