ARMENIAN GROUP EXPRESSES DISAPPOINTMENT IN OBAMA LETTER

Hurriyet
April 28 2009
Turkey

ISTANBUL – An influential U.S. Armenian organization has expressed
disappointment about President Barack Obama’s decision to refrain from
recognizing the 1915 incidents as "genocide" in a letter it sent to
the U.S. leader, the group said late Monday.

Obama, who pledged to recognize the Armenian claims regarding the
1915 incident during his presidential campaign, refrained from using
the word "genocide" while describing the events in his annual April
24 statement to mark the "day of remembrance of the Armenian deaths."

"Your use of Mets Yehern (Great Catastrophe) was an inadequate
substitute for Armenian Genocide," Armenian Assembly of America
Chairman Hirair Hovnanian said in the letter he sent to Obama.

"It was a regrettable retreat from the expressed promises you made
as a candidate … and in so doing, may have taken a step backwards
in genocide prevention around the world," he added.

The letter also pledged that the Armenian-American community will
pursue the prompt passage of a "genocide resolution" already pending
in Congress and pledged that the Armenian-American community will
pursue the passage of the bill.

Hovnanian added in the letter that actions resulting from the framework
recently announced by Armenia and Turkey must be "distinct and separate
from the issue of the Armenian Genocide."

Obama’s statement came a while after Turkey and Armenia announced that
under Switzerland’s mediation they have agreed on a comprehensive
framework for the normalization of ties between the two neighboring
countries that have not had diplomatic relations for more than
a decade.

Hovnanian also requested a meeting with the U.S. president to discuss
problems and concerns of the Armenian-American community regarding
relations with Armenia.

The group also said U.S. Vice President Joseph Biden telephoned
Hovnanian on April 24 and that they exchanged views on the history and
status of Armenian-American community efforts to obtain affirmation
by the U.S. government of the Armenian claims regarding the 1915
incidents.