Armenian National Committee of America
1711 N Street, NW Washington, DC 20036
Tel. (202) 775-1918
Fax. (202) 775-5648
Email. anca@anca.org
Internet

PRESS RELEASE
April 12, 2010
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918

SARGSYAN HONORS MEMORY OF WOODROW WILSON; REJECTS TURKEY’S
PRECONDITIONS ON BILATERAL DIALOGUE

"Turkey cannot speak in the language of preconditions with Armenia
and the Armenian people." – President Serzh Sargsyan

WASHINGTON, DC – Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan rejected
Turkey’s efforts to impose preconditions on Armenia-Turkey
dialogue, during remarks delivered following a wreath laying
ceremony honoring the life and legacy of President Woodrow Wilson.

Speaking to hundreds of Armenian Americans gathered at the National
Cathedral, Sargsyan praised President Wilson’s 1919 call for a
united effort to ensure that "the Armenian people never suffer
again." Ninety five years later, countries around the world and
organizations, including those in the U.S., continue to carry on
Wilson’s legacy, stated Sargsyan, to prevent genocide and suffering
through recognition of the Armenian Genocide.

Noting his meeting with Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan earlier in
the day, Sargsyan reiterated opposition to Turkey-imposed
preconditions on Turkey-Armenia Protocol discussions. "Turkey
cannot speak in the language of preconditions to Armenia and the
Armenian people," said Sargsyan, who went on to reject Turkey’s
efforts to question the historical truth of the Armenian Genocide,
or inject itself in the Nagorno Karabagh negotiation process.

During his visit to President Wilson’s tomb, Pres. Sargsyan greeted
Armenian Genocide survivors Rose Baboyian, Yeretsgeen Sirarpi
Khoyan and Lousadzeen Tatarian, who presented the President with a
letter urging him to continue the fight for Genocide recognition
and stand up for the rights of the Armenian people. Following the
wreath-laying ceremony, Sargsyan stood solemnly as Armenian
American clergy offered prayers in memory of President Wilson and
honored the victims and survivors of the Armenian Genocide.
Amongst the clergy in attendance were His Eminence Archbishop
Oshagan Choloyan, Prelate of the Armenian Apostolic Church of
Eastern U.S.; His Eminence Archbishop Khajag Barsamian, Primate of
the Diocese of the Armenian Church of America (Eastern), and His
Eminence Archbishop Vicken Aykazian, Legate of the Diocese of the
Armenian Church of America (Eastern), and representatives of the
Armenian Catholic and Evangelical communities.

Armenian American reaction to Pres. Sargsyan’s statements was
swift. ARF Eastern Region Central Committee Chairman Antranig
Kasbarian told the Armenian Weekly that "Pres. Sargsyan’s remarks –
– both in timing and in substance — are greatly encouraging. The
symbolism of honoring Woodrow Wilson — a champion of Genocide
survivors and guarantor of Western Armenia — was not lost on those
assembled. Nor was the President’s assessment of current political
relations, in which he clearly rejected any preconditons by Turkey
toward normalizing bilateral ties."

Kasbarian warned, however, that "the true test will come behind
closed doors, when Mr. Sargsyan encounters the inevitable pressure
from Washington and Ankara to come to terms. If he follows the path
set out today, then we can reasonably hope that Armenia will
retreat from the Protocols and the dangerous course they represent.
If not, then we may see Armenia’s predicament go from bad to
worse."

Kasbarian reflected the community concerns expressed in an April 9th
joint letter by leading Armenian civic, religious and social
service organizations which urged President Sargsyan to call on
President Barack Obama to honor his pledge to recognize the
Armenian Genocide and reject Turkish government efforts to use the
Turkey-Armenia Protocols to delay international affirmation of this
crime against humanity. The signatories pressed the Armenian
President to announce that the Turkey-Armenia Protocol discussions
cannot continue "given Turkey’s unconstructive and antagonistic
posture" throughout the process.

To read the complete text of the letter, visit:
leases.php?prid=3D1851

Obama "Commends" Sargsyan for Armenia-Turkey Normalization Efforts

Reports from Pres. Sargsyan’s 45-minute meeting with President
Obama came Monday evening with a "read out" issued by the White
House stating that:

"The President commended President Sargsian for his courageous
efforts to achieve normalization of relations between Armenia and
Turkey and encouraged him to fulfill the promise of normalization
for the benefit of the Armenian people. President Obama also urged
that both Armenia and Turkey make every effort to advance the
normalization process and achieve legislative ratification of the
protocols of normalization. President Obama also expressed his
support for Armenian democracy."

Earlier today, Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty reported Armenian
government sources as stating that "the two leaders spoke about
‘the course of normalizing relations between Armenia and Turkey’
and ‘exchanged thoughts’ on the current status of the Karabakh
peace process" among other issues.

Commenting on President Obama’s Washington, DC invitation of
President Sargsyan in the days leading up to the annual April 24th
Armenian Genocide commemoration, Armenian National Committee of
America (ANCA) Executive Director Aram Hamparian noted: "We would
consider it highly inappropriate for the President of the United
States to have invited the President of Armenia to Washington, only
days before April 24th, if he had an intention of doing anything
less than fully recognizing the Armenian Genocide; fully honoring
his commitment to recognize this crime against humanity. We are
looking forward to President Obama keeping faith with his own words
and keeping faith with the relationship he seeks with Armenia by
recognizing the Armenian Genocide."

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From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress