PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release
September 15, 2009
Contact: Michael A. Zachariades
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (202) 393-3434
MAJOR ARMENIAN-AMERICAN ORGANIZATIONS CALL ON PRESIDENT OBAMA TO HOLD
TURKEY ACCOUNTABLE
Washington, DC – As Congress reconvened last week, the leaders of major
Armenian-American organizations called upon President Barack Obama to
hold Turkey accountable to its international obligations to lift the
blockade of Armenia and establish diplomatic relations without
preconditions.
They also urged President Obama to unequivocally reaffirm the Armenian
Genocide. The letter recalled what the late Senator Edward Kennedy often
said, "in order to know what to do in the future, you must understand
and remember the past."
The signatories represented the following four organizations: Armenian
General Benevolent Union; Diocese of the Armenian Church of America
(Eastern); Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Western) and
Armenian Assembly of America.
The letter was prompted by the August 31 release of the protocols
announced by the governments of Armenia and Turkey for the normalization
of relations between the two neighboring countries.
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NR#2009-066
Editor’s Note: The joint letter to President Obama is pasted below.
September 9, 2009
The Honorable Barack Obama
President of the United States
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, DC 20500
Dear Mr. President:
We are writing to you regarding the August 31, 2009 announcement by the
foreign ministries of Armenia, Turkey and Switzerland with respect to
protocols to be signed within six weeks to establish diplomatic
relations between the Republic of Armenia and the Republic of Turkey and
to open the border between the two countries.
We support the normalization of relations between Armenia and Turkey
without preconditions. We appreciate your commitment in encouraging
reconciliation between Turkey and Armenia and feel strongly that the
United States has a major role to play in this regard. We also note that
in addition to the United States, France and Russia and the European
Union have welcomed this latest development.
We look forward to a positive outcome, but are concerned in view of
Turkey’s prior failures to uphold its international obligations. We,
therefore, call upon you and your Administration to hold the Turkish
government accountable with respect to Turkey’s commitments to lift the
fifteen year-plus blockade it has imposed against Armenia and establish
permanent diplomatic relations with the Republic of Armenia.
In addition, assertions by Turkey, for example, that the Nagorno
Karabakh peace talks proceed in parallel to Armenian-Turkish
rapprochement are not acceptable. They add an unnecessary dimension to
an already delicate process. In fact, linking two separate and distinct
sets of negotiations creates a dangerous precedent that places both
processes at risk.
As the late Senator Edward Kennedy so often said, "in order to know what
to do in the future, you must understand and remember the past." To
that end, true reconciliation will occur only when Turkey comes to terms
with its past. In that regard, we value your repeated statements on the
importance of recognizing the Armenian Genocide and strongly urge you to
directly and unequivocally affirm this terrible crime against humanity.
In so doing, the United States will honor a proud chapter in U.S.
history when America responded by helping to save the survivors of the
first genocide of the twentieth century.
If this normalization process is used as a smokescreen for not
reaffirming the Armenian Genocide and the U.S. record, it will be a blow
to the rapprochement process and the expectations of people of goodwill
everywhere.
We all know and appreciate full well that respect for moral principles
and the pursuit of justice are essential for a peaceful world.
Sincerely,
Berge Setrakian
President
Armenian General Benevolent Union =09
Archbishop Khajag Barsamian
Primate
Diocese of the Armenian
Church of America (Eastern)
Archbishop Hovnan Derderian
Primate
Diocese of the Armenian
Church of America (Western)
Hirair Hovnanian
Chairman
Armenian Assembly of America =09