ARAM HAMPARIAN: "NO NATION HAS RIGHT TO IMPOSE GAG-RULE ON AMERICAN PEOPLE"

Panorama.am
16:07 30/03/2009

"What is very clear is that President Obama has a tremendously strong
and principled record on this human rights issue," Aram Hamparian,
the Executive Director of Armenian National Committee of America
answered to Panorama.am question regarding the U.S. President’s
recognition of Armenian Genocide.

According to him the Turkish government is using every lobbying,
media, and other means to derail the tremendous momentum toward
U.S. rejection of Turkey’s gag-rule on the Armenian Genocide.

"The U.S. should not, and need never, be bullied by another
nation, particularly on matters of core American values, like
genocide-prevention and human rights," mentioned Aram Hamparian.

President Obama, according to Mr. Hamparian, has been remarkably
clear in his recognition of the Armenian Genocide, his calls for
its commemoration by the US government, and his repeated pledges to
properly recognize the Armenian Genocide if elected President.

"We know the President to be a man of his word, and have been deeply
impressed by his commitment to principle and his willingness to speak
the truth, even when that is sometimes difficult for some to hear. The
time has clearly come for the U.S. government to rise above the level
of Turkey’s threats in addressing the Armenian Genocide. We must, as a
nation, look at this issue in its proper context as a matter of core
American values, and reject any and all efforts to silence our proud
tradition of standing up for human rights and against genocide. No
nation has the right to impose a gag-rule on the American people,"
said Mr. Hamparian.