Armenian National Committee of America
888 17th St., NW Suite 904
Washington, DC 20006
Tel: (202) 775-1918
Fax: (202) 775-5648
E-mail: [email protected]
Internet:
PRESS RELEASE
October 5, 2005
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918
ANCA CHALLENGES STATE DEPARTMENT EFFORT
TO DEFEAT ARMENIAN GENOCIDE LEGISLATION
— ANCA Chairman Voices Community’s Concerns in
Letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
“Official U.S. recognition and Turkish
acknowledgement of the Armenian Genocide
are not, as the Department argues, obstacles
to improved Armenia-Turkey relations, but
rather essential keys to progress toward the
normalization of relations between these
two states.” — Ken Hachikian
WASHINGTON, DC – The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA)
today responded formally to the State Department’s efforts, in the
days leading up to the House International Relations Committee’s
September 15th approval of two resolutions recognizing the Armenian
Genocide, to defeat these measures and prevent official U.S.
recognition of this crime against humanity.
In an October 5th letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice,
ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian voiced the profound moral outrage of
Armenians over the Administration’s ongoing complicity in Turkey’s
campaign of genocide denial. In his two-page letter, Hachikian
explained the Armenian American community’s opposition, on moral,
geo-political and democratic grounds, to the State Department’s
obstruction of Congressional efforts to reaffirm the Armenian
Genocide. Among the main points raised by Hachikian in the letter
were the following:
* Moral:
“In failing to openly and honestly recognize and commemorate the
Armenian Genocide, the U.S. government dishonors the truth, betrays
the historical record in our very own archives, demeans the
sacrifices of the Foreign Service officers who bore witness to this
crime, and compromises the President’s commitment to ‘moral
clarity.'”
* Geopolitical:
“Official U.S. recognition and Turkish acknowledgement of the
Armenian Genocide are not, as the Department argues, obstacles to
improved Armenia-Turkey relations, but rather essential keys to
reduced tensions and progress toward the normalization of relations
between these two states.”
* Democratic:
“The Department’s assertion that even House floor debate on
Armenian Genocide legislation would harm U.S. interests is both
fundamentally undemocratic and offensive to all those elected to
represent us in our national legislature. A clear bipartisan
Congressional majority supports this legislation and deserves the
right to act upon this matter in a fair and transparent manner.
American interests are served by the open functioning of our
democratic institutions, not by “gag-orders” – imposed by a foreign
government and enforced by our own State Department – regarding
what can and cannot be discussed by members of the U.S. Congress.”
On September 15th, after nearly three hours of debate, the House
International Relations Committee, voted overwhelmingly in favor of
two measures calling for proper U.S. recognition of the Armenian
Genocide (H.Res.316 and H.Con.Res.195) and urging Turkey to end its
decades long denial of this crime against humanity.
The full text of the ANCA letter is provided below.
#####
Text of ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian’s October 5, 2005
letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
October 5, 2005
The Honorable Condoleezza Rice
Secretary of State
Department of State
2201 C Street, NW
Washington, DC 20520
Dear Secretary Rice,
I am writing in response to the State Department’s recent letter to
Chairman Henry Hyde, in which Assistant Secretary Matthew Reynolds
expressed the Department’s opposition to legislation under
consideration by the House International Relations Committee
regarding U.S. policy on the Armenian Genocide.
Along with all Armenians – here in America, in Armenia, and around
the world – I am profoundly outraged by the Department of State’s
ongoing complicity in Turkey’s campaign of genocide denial. I
would like to briefly share with you our objections to the
Department’s position on moral, geopolitical, and democratic
grounds.
Moral: In failing to openly and honestly recognize and commemorate
the Armenian Genocide, the U.S. government dishonors the truth,
betrays the historical record in our very own archives, demeans the
sacrifices of the Foreign Service officers who bore witness to this
crime, and compromises the President’s commitment to “moral
clarity.”
I can only hope that, through the efforts of men and women of
principle in the U.S. Congress and across our nation, we will, in
short order, witness once again official U.S. recognition of this
crime against humanity, bringing an end to a sad chapter in
American history. When this day comes, all those involved in
perpetuating this denial – particularly those who have lent their
names to this disgraceful undertaking – will, I am certain, look
back in shame on their words and deeds. Just as official U.S.
government apologists for Apartheid in South Africa no doubt regret
their actions today, so too will those who have taken part in
enabling and encouraging Turkey’s hateful denial of the Armenian
Genocide.
Geopolitical: Beyond the moral bankruptcy of the Administration’s
position, the letter reveals a shortsighted and outdated view of
how Turkey’s denial continues to impact the region. Official U.S.
recognition and Turkish acknowledgement of the Armenian Genocide
are not, as the Department argues, obstacles to improved Armenia-
Turkey relations, but rather essential keys to reduced tensions and
progress toward the normalization of relations between these two
states.
Democratic: The Department’s assertion that even House floor
debate on Armenian Genocide legislation would harm U.S. interests
is both fundamentally undemocratic and offensive to all those
elected to represent us in our national legislature. A clear
bipartisan Congressional majority supports this legislation and
deserves the right to act upon this matter in a fair and
transparent manner. American interests are served by the open
functioning of our democratic institutions, not by “gag-orders” –
imposed by a foreign government and enforced by our own State
Department – regarding what can and cannot be discussed by members
of the U.S. Congress.
I urge you to reconsider the Department’s failed and profoundly
immoral policy on the Armenian Genocide. I would, of course, be
pleased to meet with you to discuss our views in greater detail.
Thank you for your consideration of this matter.
Sincerely,
[signed]
Kenneth V. Hachikian
Chairman
cc: Members of the U.S. Congress
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress