PanARMENIAN.Net
U.S. recognition of Genocide to provide unprecedented momentum to
Turkey-Armenia dialogue 04.04.2009 14:07 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ On April 3, 2009, more than 340 European `Armenian
organizations signed a letter to President Obama, before his visit to
Turkey, inviting the U.S. President to recognize the Armenian
Genocide, reported the European Armenian Federation (EAFJD).
The letter says:
`Dear Mr. President,
In January 2008, you declared your firm conviction `that the Armenian
Genocide is not an allegation, a personal opinion, or a point of view,
but rather a widely documented fact supported by an overwhelming body
of historical evidence.’ You further said that the facts of the
Armenian Genocide are undeniable emphasizing that `an official policy
that calls on diplomats to distort the historical facts is an
untenable policy’. In September and October 2008, you confirmed your
commitment to support the adoption of the Armenian Genocide resolution
in Congress. You also affirmed: `As President, I will recognize the
Armenian Genocide.’ Mr. President, as Europeans of Armenian descent,
we salute you for these wise, unwavering, forward-looking and
courageous statements.
Europeans hail with hope and enthusiasm these positions rooted in
sound moral principles and consider the universal recognition of the
Armenian Genocide a moral requirement and – given the sad repetition
of mass crimes such as in Darfur today ` an urgent political
imperative for all mankind.
Mr. President, we cannot overlook the efforts, presently under way, by
entities that do not share your vision of humanity and that aim to
prevent your administration from pursuing these progressive policies
which would restore the leading role of the United States in this
vital field. In this regard, your impending visit to Turkey has
profound symbolism that will not be lost to Europeans who are
currently weighing the moral and political cost of the proposed
Turkish membership in the European Union.
Given the mission of change that your presidency represents and given
your principled stance, we would like to assure you that:
– The European Armenians, as well as the large democratic mainstream
of Europe’s civil society, will continue to strongly oppose Turkey’s
membership in the EU for as long as the Turkish state denies the
Armenian Genocide, promotes racism and pursues a policy of
discrimination towards its minorities.
– The commitment you have made to recognize, as President, the
Armenian Genocide and to support the passage of the Armenian Genocide
resolution in Congress will not only set the record straight, but also
it will unleash the momentum of true change and democratization inside
Turkey; a momentum which must lead to an ultimate recognition of this
mass crime by Turkey itself.
– The U.S. recognition will also provide an unprecedented momentum to
the process of dialogue between Turkey and Armenia. It will make clear
that denial of this crime against humanity will no longer be supported
and that the way forward will definitely require of Turkey and of all
concerned in the region a fundamental commitment to just peace.
In contrast, we are convinced that any retreat by the United States at
this defining moment would be interpreted by genocide-perpetrating
governments as full license to continue their bloody acts and criminal
complicities, as witnessed in Turkey’s recent support for the Sudanese
president who is under arrest warrant by the International Criminal
Court.
For this reason, now more than ever, Europeans are united in their
support for you in your Wilsonian resolution to recognize, this April
24th, the Armenian Genocide and to quickly advance a vote for the
resolutions in the House of Representatives and the Senate of the
United States.’