BRYAN ARDOUNY: HILLARY CLINTON CONSISTENTLY SUPPORTED AFFIRMATION OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
De Facto
Dec 2, 2008
YEREVAN, 02.12.08. DE FACTO. U. S. President-elect Barack Obama
selected Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY) to serve as the
U.S. Secretary of State.
Commenting on the fact, Assembly Executive Director Bryan Ardouny said,
in part, "During her tenure in the U.S. Senate, Senator Clinton has
consistently supported affirmation of the Armenian Genocide". "Never
before we have had such an alignment whereby the incoming President,
Vice-President and Secretary of State have a clear and demonstrated
record of support for affirmation of the Armenian Genocide, as well
as genocide prevention," he added.
To note, first elected to the U.S. Senate in 2000, Senator Clinton
consistently supported efforts to reaffirm the historical truth of the
Armenian Genocide. In addition to co-sponsoring resolutions affirming
the Armenian Genocide, Senator Clinton also repeatedly urged President
George W. Bush to reaffirm the Armenian Genocide in his annual April
24th statements.
In 2006, for example, Clinton signed a letter to President Bush
stating: "The memory of the Armenian Genocide underscores our
responsibility to speak forcefully about our respect for fundamental
human rights and opposition to mass slaughters. It is in the best
interests of our nation and the entire global community to remember
the past and learn from these crimes against humanity to ensure that
they are never repeated. We respectfully request that you refer to
the mass slaughter of Armenians as genocide in your commemorative
statement." Senator Clinton also supports expanding and improving
U..S.-Armenia relations and "a fair and democratic resolution of the
Nagorno-Karabagh conflict."
Throughout the 2008 presidential election, President-elect Obama
repeatedly pledged to officially recognize the Armenian Genocide
and with the nomination of Hillary Clinton, President-elect Obama
had an ally in Genocide affirmation and prevention. In making the
announcement today, President-elect Obama said, "The time has come
for a new beginning, a new dawn of American leadership to overcome
the challenges of the 21st century."
During the campaign trail, Senator Clinton stated: "I believe the
horrible events perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire against Armenians
constitute a clear case of genocide. Our common morality and our
nation’s credibility as a voice for human rights challenge us to
ensure that the Armenian Genocide be recognized and remembered by
the Congress and the President of the United States."