PanArmenian News, Armenia
April 24 2009

Agreement on road map served as pretext for Obama’s failure to honor
his pledge 25.04.2009 14:16 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ The joint statement by the Armenian and Turkish
Ministries of Foreign Affairs issued on the eve of the Armenian
Genocide anniversary has served as a pretext for Barack Obama to
refrain from using the term Genocide in his annual April 24 address to
the Armenian Community of the United States.

`Alleging the ongoing dialogue and the agreement concluded, Mr. Obama
seized the opportunity to avoid the term Genocide. It was our fault,’
ARF Dashnaktsutyun Bureau’s Hay Dat and Political Affairs Office
Director Kiro Manoyan told a news conference today.

Addressing the Armenian community yesterday, President Obama said,
`Ninety four years ago, one of the great atrocities of the 20th
century began. Each year, we pause to remember the 1.5 million
Armenians who were subsequently massacred or marched to their death in
the final days of the Ottoman Empire. The Meds Yeghern must live on in
our memories, just as it lives on in the hearts of the Armenian
people.’

`Obama managed to articulate his ideas but he failed to keep his
promise. He disappointed the Armenian community of the United States,
the people who voted for him,’ Manoyan said, adding that the
U.S. President doesn’t have to wait till next April 24 to properly
recognize the Genocide.