States News Service, USA
April 24, 2009 Friday

STATEMENT OF PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA ON ARMENIAN REMEMBRANCE DAY

WASHINGTON

The following information was released by the White House:

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.

History, unresolved, can be a heavy weight. Just as the terrible
events of 1915 remind us of the dark prospect of mans inhumanity to
man, reckoning with the past holds out the powerful promise of
reconciliation. I have consistently stated my own view of what
occurred in 1915, and my view of that history has not changed. My
interest remains the achievement of a full, frank and just
acknowledgment of the facts.

The best way to advance that goal right now is for the Armenian and
Turkish people to address the facts of the past as a part of their
efforts to move forward. I strongly support efforts by the Turkish and
Armenian people to work through this painful history in a way that is
honest, open, and constructive. To that end, there has been courageous
and important dialogue among Armenians and Turks, and within Turkey
itself. I also strongly support the efforts by Turkey and Armenia to
normalize their bilateral relations. Under Swiss auspices, the two
governments have agreed on a framework and roadmap for
normalization. I commend this progress, and urge them to fulfill its
promise.

Together, Armenia and Turkey can forge a relationship that is
peaceful, productive and prosperous. And together, the Armenian and
Turkish people will be stronger as they acknowledge their common
history and recognize their common humanity.

Nothing can bring back those who were lost in the Meds Yeghern. But
the contributions that Armenians have made over the last ninety-four
years stand as a testament to the talent, dynamism and resilience of
the Armenian people, and as the ultimate rebuke to those who tried to
destroy them. The United States of America is a far richer country
because of the many Americans of Armenian descent who have contributed
to our society, many of whom immigrated to this country in the
aftermath of 1915. Today, I stand with them and with Armenians
everywhere with a sense of friendship, solidarity, and deep respect.