ACA CALLS ON U.S. PRESIDENT TO RECOGNIZE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
PanARMENIAN.Net
April 12, 2010 – 15:46 AMT 10:46 GMT
On April 12, the Armenian Council of America (ACA) Executive Board
sent United States President Barack Obama a letter. In the letter, the
ACA addressed the upcoming anticipated meeting between the President
and his Armenian counterpart Serzh Sargsyan and Turkish Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan as well as the annual April 24th
presidential statement on the Armenian Genocide issue.
With the letter, ACA urges President Obama to advocate for greater
democratic reforms within the region and honor his promise to recognize
the Armenian Genocide on its solemn 95th anniversary of April 24,
2010, instead of the ill conceived Armenian Turkish Protocols.
The letter reads:
"The Honorable Barack H. Obama
President of the United States of America
On behalf of the Armenian Council of America and Armenian Americans,
we urge you to follow through with your pledge to the community and
recognize the tragedy that occurred 95 years ago as a historical
fact by acknowledging the events by its rightful name, the Armenian
Genocide.
Distorting the significance of the Armenian Genocide in favor
of international or domestic political and economic gain is
counterintuitive to progress and continues the precedent for allowing
future genocides and human rights violations to occur as evident in
the recent genocide in Darfur.
While some in your Administration may advise you to encourage
Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan and Turkish Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan to ratify the Armenian Turkish Protocols, we instead
ask you to encourage the leaders to adopt democratic principles in
their respective nations in order to promote future solidarity and
friendship in the region.
The protocols signed by Armenia and Turkey whose history of continuous
conflict dates back to the end of the 19th century appeared as a
symbolic step towards normalized relations between the two estranged
states. Peace and cooperation are components to the region’s prosperity
and the Armenian Council of America is willing to work towards that
endeavor, however, these important elements cannot be achieved at
the cost of a historical accuracy or through undemocratic means.
It is vital for neighboring nations to co-exist in peace, yet the
protocols present a facade of harmony and good-will between Armenia
and Turkey. Its intentions are being manipulated and concocted by the
Turkish government to set preconditions and unequivocally continue
the atmosphere of distrust within the region.
Turkey has closed its borders unilaterally and should open its borders
unilaterally without any pre-conditions. The statements that have been
made by Turkish leaders regarding the protocols negate all claims of
the non-existence of preconditions.
The current regime in the Republic of Armenia has unfortunately used
the protocols to stabilize their stranglehold of power, leaving the
Armenian people fragile and virtually unsupported for their desire
of democracy by the international community.
The Armenian American community seeks for Armenia to truly become
a democratic nation where the rule of law and citizens’ rights are
protected. The United States as the leading global democracy has
the power to influence the Republic of Armenia and its leadership to
establish and maintain these principles.
President Obama, Armenian Americans strongly insist that you do what
is in the best interest of human rights and democracy; advocate for
greater democratic reforms within the region and honor your promise
to recognize the Armenian Genocide on its solemn 95th anniversary of
April 24, 2010."