‘DANCE’ AROUND GENOCIDE

Washington Times

July 14 2011

Sen. Robert Menendez displayed his frustration this week over the
Obama administration’s continued refusal to acknowledge the killing
of 1.5 million Armenians during World War I as genocide.

The New Jersey Democrat repeatedly pressed the issue at a Senate
Foreign Relations Committee hearing Wednesday on the nomination of
John Heffern to serve as ambassador to Armenia.

In his prepared remarks, Mr. Heffern, a career diplomat, noted
that President Obama has “recognized and deplored” the massacre of
Armenians under the Ottoman Empire as “one of the worst atrocities
of the 20th century.”

Responding to questions from Mr. Menendez, Mr. Heffern acknowledged
that his characterization of the killings met the definition of
genocide in a treaty that the United States has signed and ratified.

However, he added that the recognition of the massacre as genocide
“is a policy decision that is made by the president.”

Mr. Menendez noted that U.S. ambassadors to Armenia regularly attend
annual commemoration services on Genocide Remembrance Day.

He complained of the inconsistency of sending U.S. ambassadors “to
a country in which they will go to a genocide commemoration and yet
never be able to use the word ‘genocide.’ ”

“This is a difficult, an inartful, dance that we do,” the senator said.

Armenian-Americans have raised questions about Mr. Heffern because
he once was a congressional aide to Rep. Doug Bereuter. They have
described the Nebraska Republican as one of the most “pro-Turkish,
anti-Armenian” members of Congress.

Armenian-Americans, who strongly supported Mr. Obama in the 2008
election, have expressed anger at him for breaking a campaign promise
to recognize the Armenian genocide.

No American president has wanted to offend Turkey, a key NATO ally,
by recognizing the massacre as genocide.