NEW RESOLUTION ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE INTRODUCED IN CONGRESS

Yerkir
18.03.2009 12:29

Yerevan (Yerkir) – Legislation calling on the U.S. President to
properly recognize the Armenian Genocide was introduced today in the
U.S. House of Representatives, two weeks before President Obama’s
April 5th trip to Turkey and roughly a month before the White House’s
annual April 24th commemoration of this crime against humanity,
reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

The measure, H.Res.252, is spearheaded by lead sponsors, Adam Schiff
(D-CA) and George Radanovich (R-CA) and Congressional Armenian Caucus
Co-Chairs Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Mark Kirk (R- IL), and cosponsored
by over 70 House colleagues. The resolution is identical to the
one introduced in both the House and Senate in the 110th Congress,
which was adopted by the House Foreign Affairs Committee, over
intense pressure from the Turkish Government and Bush Administration,
and publicly endorsed by then-candidate for President Barack Obama,
his Vice President Joe Biden, and current Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton.

"Armenians in the U.S. and around the world thank Adam Schiff, George
Radanovich, Frank Pallone and Mark Kirk for leading Congressional
efforts toward U.S. recognition of the Armenian Genocide," said Aram
Hamparian, Executive Director of the ANCA.

"The election of Barack Obama, who has spoken repeatedly, forcefully,
and with great clarity about the need for American recognition of
the Armenian Genocide, marked a truly welcome break from the flawed
policies of the past on this score. We look, in the coming days
and weeks, for the President to honor his pledge, to fully support
this legislation, and to raise the discourse in Washington, DC on the
Armenian Genocide from level of Turkey’s threats and denials up to the
level of the core moral and humanitarian values of the America people."

In the days leading up to the introduction of the Armenian Genocide
Resolution, Representatives Schiff, Radanovich, Pallone and Kirk
sent a letter to President Obama urging him to end the complicity
of past Administrations in Turkey’s genocide denial by properly
characterizing the Armenian Genocide. That sentiment was reiterated
by the International Association of Genocide Scholars, in a March
7th letter sent to President Obama.

The resolution comes six-weeks prior to April 24th, the worldwide
commemoration of the Armenian Genocide. U.S. Presidents have marked the
annihilation of 1.5 million Armenians from 1915-1923 by the Ottoman
Turkish government every year since 1994, though have refrained from
the proper characterization of this crime under threats and pressure
from the Turkish government.

"There is going to be heavy focus on encouraging President Obama to
make a strong statement of recognition on April 24, because it will
be important in setting the tone of the discussions on the Armenian
Genocide Resolution in Congress," Rep. Schiff told The Armenian Weekly
Editor Khatchig Mouradian earlier today.

"The Turkish lobby will be spending millions like they did in past
years. They will also argue that the recognition of the genocide will
cut off reconciliation between Armenia and Turkey, and that this is
not the right time. The truth is, after 94 years, if this is not the
right time, I don’t know when that right time can be."

Rep. Radanovich concurred, noting, "President Obama made a clear
promise to the Armenian community during his campaign and to do
anything short of properly recognizing the Armenian genocide as such
would be a direct slap in the face to Armenians around the world."

In a statement issued earlier today, he went on to note that "The
Armenian constituents in my district have been staunch advocates of
the truth and to them I promise not to give up this fight."

As Members of Congress prepared to introduce the Armenian Genocide
Resolution, thousands of Armenian American activists contacted their
legislators through phone, mail and the ANCA WebFax system urging
them to become early cosponsors of the legislation.

The Armenian Genocide legislation is expected to the referred to the
House Foreign Affairs Committee.