Asbarez
Apr 11th, 2010
Leading Armenian civic, religious and social service organizations
called on Armenian President Serzh Sarkisian to urge President Barack
Obama to honor his pledge to recognize the Armenian Genocide and stand
strong against Turkish Government efforts to use the Turkey-Armenia
Protocols to block international genocide affirmation efforts.
The April 9 letter cited the Armenian American community’s efforts
to secure U.S. reaffirmation of the Armenian Genocide, including the
recent House Foreign Affairs Committee consideration of the Armenian
Genocide Resolution (H.Res.252), which passed with a vote of 23-22,
despite strong opposition from the Turkish Government and the Obama
Administration. The letter noted broad-based community concern
regarding the use of the Turkey-Armenia Protocols by resolution
opponents, urging a “united front” by Diasporan Armenians and the
Armenian people and State against such efforts to undermine the
historic rights of the Armenian Nation.
The letter goes on to urge President Sargsyan to stand strong by his
own words against the misuse of a so-called “historical commission”
to call into question the Armenian Genocide and to continue calls to
President Obama and international leaders to recognize the Armenian
Genocide. The signatories also called on the Armenian President to
announce that the Turkey-Armenia Protocol discussions cannot continue
“given Turkey’s unconstructive and adversarial policy” throughout
the process.
We present the complete text of the letter below:
As one of the Armenian diaspora’s largest and most organized
communities, Armenian-Americans for decades have been carrying the
torch of Armenian Genocide recognition and the restoration of our
historical rights.
As you well know, one of the latest successes of this long struggle
was the passage of the Genocide Resolution in the US House Foreign
Affairs Committee. This was not an easy victory. Many congressmen
used the excuse of not jeopardizing the Armeno-Turkish reconciliation
process to escape from supporting this resolution.
It is imperative that the Armenian people – of Diaspora and Homeland –
along with the government, present a common front when facing such
destructive obstacles in our path of internationalizing Armenian
Genocide recognition, which will only serve to restore our rights.
On April 12-13, 2010, you will be present at the Nuclear Security
Summit to be held in Washington, DC.
We therefore call on you, Honorable President, to bolster the hard
work of Armenian-Americans by using this opportunity to publicly
appreciate the passage of House Res. 252, and the Congressmen who
voted for its passage; you will thereby send a message to the whole
world by emphasizing the importance of internationalizatio
n of Armenian
Genocide recognition, based on the following principles:
1 – The intergovernmental commission called for in the protocols,
designed to promote “historical cannot question the historical fact
of the Armenian Genocide. Quoting from your remarks in the April 4,
2010 issue of Der Spiegel:
“The creation of such a commission will undermine the historical facts
of the Armenian Genocide. That is unacceptable for us. The creation
of such a commission would only have a meaning if Turkey confessed
to its crime. At that point, scientists could analyze the reasons
for this horror.”
2 – The dialogue between Armenia and Turkey and the signed protocols
cannot be used as an excuse to derail the Armenian Genocide recognition
process. Quoting from your remarks in Der Zor on March 24, 2010:
“We do not accept the usage of Armeno-Turkish rapprochement as an
excuse to escape from the recognition of the Genocide.”
3 – Call on the US President and the international community to
officially recognize the Armenian Genocide. As you have said, “America,
Europe, Germany, and all other governments that are involved in the
Armeno-Turkish reconciliation process should announce their position
publicly. If all these governments had recognized the Genocide,
Turks would not make such pronouncements.”
4 – And finally, we hope and expect – considering the hardening and
threatening posture of Turkey – that while in Washington, you will
announce that the process between Armenia and Turkey that has begun
with these signed protocols cannot continue because of Turkey’s
destructive and antagonistic posture.
We are certain that our plea will be echoed. We believe that, as
Armenia’s President, following Der Zor and Yerevan, you will continue
to call for justice in memory of the victims, in Washington also.
Armenian-Americans, with our aim of strengthening our nation, will
continue our efforts to preserve our homeland’s national security and
future prosperity. It is our expectation that the President of Armenia
and the Armenian government stand with the Diaspora by utilizing
your government’s powers in the effort toward the recognition of the
Armenian Genocide and the just resolution our cause.
We look forward to your public appearances.