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Armenian genocide resolution renewed
Supporters hope reshaped Congress can vault over White House opposition.
By Michael Doyle
Bee Washington Bureau
1/31/07
WASHINGTON - Armenian-Americans are putting their hopes in a new
Democratic Congress.
So are some Republicans.
On Tuesday, lawmakers and their politically active Armenian-American
allies introduced the latest version of an Armenian genocide
resolution. After years of trying, they now think they can prevail
over the Bush administration's strong opposition.
"I'm very hopeful that this time we'll be able to do this," said
Rep. George Radanovich, R-Mariposa.
Under the aged and watchful eyes of two genocide survivors - one of
them said to be 100 years old - Radanovich helped reintroduce a
resolution that will incite controversy even though it lacks the force
of law.
Joined by three other House members, one Republican and two Democrats,
Radanovich is sponsoring what's being called the "affirmation of the
United States record on the Armenian Genocide." Essentially, the
10-page resolution puts the House on the side of Armenians and many
historians who have studied the period between 1915 and 1923.
Some 1.5 million Armenians were killed as part of a policy of
extermination conducted during the final days of the Ottoman Empire,
the resolution asserts. The nonbinding resolution further calls upon
President Bush to use the word "genocide" in his annual April message
commemorating the horrific events.
Bush and preceding presidents, attentive to the concerns of Turkey and
the State Department, have delicately avoided using the term genocide
when referring to Armenia. Diplomatically, it's a sensitive issue. The
last U.S. ambassador to Armenia, John Evans, appears to have been
forced from his post after he gave a public speech affirming there was
a genocide.
"Armenian Americans have attempted to extricate and isolate their
history from the complex circumstances in which their ancestors were
embroiled," the Turkish Embassy declared in a statement. "In so doing,
they describe a world populated only by white-hatted heroes and
black-hatted villains."
Turkey dismisses as "grossly erroneous" the claim that 1.5million
Armenians were killed. A member of NATO now hoping to join the
European Union, Turkey enjoys its own Capitol Hill clout with the
assistance of well-placed lobbyists, including one-time Congress
member Bob Livingston.
Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Pasadena, is the Armenian genocide resolution's
chief sponsor since his party took control of the House.
"I do think we have the best opportunity in a decade to succeed,"
Schiff said, "but no one should be under the illusion that this will
be easy."
Radanovich was the chief sponsor under Republican control, but had the
rug pulled out from underneath him by GOP leaders. Former House
Speaker Dennis Hastert first promised to let Radanovich bring an
earlier Armenian genocide resolution to the House floor, then reversed
himself at the last minute after receiving a call from the White
House.
Current House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, as a rank-and-file member in
previous years, was a supporter of the genocide resolution.
"We've got a speaker now who we think is receptive," said Paul
Jamushian, an activist who splits his time between Fresno and the East
Coast. "We've always had the votes."
Lawmakers acknowledged Tuesday that they had not yet received a
commitment from Pelosi, although they predicted she will face White
House pressure before April.
"Make no mistake," Radanovich said. "The speaker will get a call from
the president."
Resolution authors say they expect to rally at least 140 House
co-sponsors.
The new chairman of the House International Relations Committee,
Rep. Tom Lantos, D-San Mateo, voted for a genocide resolution the last
time it appeared, although in previous years he opposed it. The
reporter can be reached at [email protected] or (202) 383-0006.
Supporters hope reshaped Congress can vault over White House opposition.
By Michael Doyle
Bee Washington Bureau
1/31/07
WASHINGTON - Armenian-Americans are putting their hopes in a new
Democratic Congress.
So are some Republicans.
On Tuesday, lawmakers and their politically active Armenian-American
allies introduced the latest version of an Armenian genocide
resolution. After years of trying, they now think they can prevail
over the Bush administration's strong opposition.
"I'm very hopeful that this time we'll be able to do this," said
Rep. George Radanovich, R-Mariposa.
Under the aged and watchful eyes of two genocide survivors - one of
them said to be 100 years old - Radanovich helped reintroduce a
resolution that will incite controversy even though it lacks the force
of law.
Joined by three other House members, one Republican and two Democrats,
Radanovich is sponsoring what's being called the "affirmation of the
United States record on the Armenian Genocide." Essentially, the
10-page resolution puts the House on the side of Armenians and many
historians who have studied the period between 1915 and 1923.
Some 1.5 million Armenians were killed as part of a policy of
extermination conducted during the final days of the Ottoman Empire,
the resolution asserts. The nonbinding resolution further calls upon
President Bush to use the word "genocide" in his annual April message
commemorating the horrific events.
Bush and preceding presidents, attentive to the concerns of Turkey and
the State Department, have delicately avoided using the term genocide
when referring to Armenia. Diplomatically, it's a sensitive issue. The
last U.S. ambassador to Armenia, John Evans, appears to have been
forced from his post after he gave a public speech affirming there was
a genocide.
"Armenian Americans have attempted to extricate and isolate their
history from the complex circumstances in which their ancestors were
embroiled," the Turkish Embassy declared in a statement. "In so doing,
they describe a world populated only by white-hatted heroes and
black-hatted villains."
Turkey dismisses as "grossly erroneous" the claim that 1.5million
Armenians were killed. A member of NATO now hoping to join the
European Union, Turkey enjoys its own Capitol Hill clout with the
assistance of well-placed lobbyists, including one-time Congress
member Bob Livingston.
Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Pasadena, is the Armenian genocide resolution's
chief sponsor since his party took control of the House.
"I do think we have the best opportunity in a decade to succeed,"
Schiff said, "but no one should be under the illusion that this will
be easy."
Radanovich was the chief sponsor under Republican control, but had the
rug pulled out from underneath him by GOP leaders. Former House
Speaker Dennis Hastert first promised to let Radanovich bring an
earlier Armenian genocide resolution to the House floor, then reversed
himself at the last minute after receiving a call from the White
House.
Current House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, as a rank-and-file member in
previous years, was a supporter of the genocide resolution.
"We've got a speaker now who we think is receptive," said Paul
Jamushian, an activist who splits his time between Fresno and the East
Coast. "We've always had the votes."
Lawmakers acknowledged Tuesday that they had not yet received a
commitment from Pelosi, although they predicted she will face White
House pressure before April.
"Make no mistake," Radanovich said. "The speaker will get a call from
the president."
Resolution authors say they expect to rally at least 140 House
co-sponsors.
The new chairman of the House International Relations Committee,
Rep. Tom Lantos, D-San Mateo, voted for a genocide resolution the last
time it appeared, although in previous years he opposed it. The
reporter can be reached at [email protected] or (202) 383-0006.