GARY ACKERMAN: THE U.S. CONGRESS MUST NO LONGER DELAY RECOGNITION OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
/PanARMENIAN.Net/
04.03.2010 20:15 GMT+04:00
U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs of cannot
again postpone the recognition of the Armenian Genocide , Rep. Gary
Ackerman (New York) said at a hearing of the Committee on the Armenian
Genocide recognition by the United States and the adoption of Armenian
genocide resolution 252.
"Today, witnesses to the Armenian Genocide are in the hall here, one
of them is 98-year-old, how much can they wait? Should we tell them
once again to turn to us next year? History should be recognized. This
problem should be solved here and now, " Ackerman said.
In turn, Congressman Chris Smith (New Jersey) said that Turkey
is pursuing an aggressive propaganda aimed at denying the Armenian
Genocide and the United States Congress should not remain indifferent
to this issue. He added that the Congress has experience in genocide
recognition, since in the past, he acknowledged the Holocaust. "We
must not become complicit in the denial of crimes committed by
Turkey," Chris Smith said. He noted that Armenian-Turkish relations
normalization is possible only in case of recognition of the past.
The Armenian Genocide resolution (H.Res. 106) was submitted to the
House of Representatives by Representative Adam Schiff (D-CA), on
January 30, 2007, during the 110th United States Congress. It was
a non-binding resolution calling upon the US President to ensure
that the foreign policy of the United States reflects appropriate
understanding and sensitivity concerning issues related to human
rights, ethnic cleansing, and genocide documented in the United States
record relating to the Armenian Genocide, and for other purposes. Upon
its introduction it was referred to United States House Committee
on Foreign Affairs where it passed a 27-21 vote and was sent back
for a full house vote. On October 26, 2007, in a letter addressed
to the House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, four key sponsors of the bill,
requested a debate on the bill in full House to be postponed.