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MEMBERS OF CONGRESS, ARMENIAN ASSEMBLY URGE AFFIRMATION OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE AS SECRETARY CLINTON'S PUBLIC STATEMENT DRAWS IRE
Noyan Tapan - News from Armenia
2012-02-04
Washington, DC - Members of Congress and the Armenian Assembly
expressed strong concerns regarding Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton's remarks on the Armenian Genocide at a town hall meeting
last week, reported the Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly).
In a dear colleague letter circulated today, Congressmen Adam
Schiff (D-CA) and Robert Dold (R-IL), sponsors of the Armenian
Genocide resolution, urged Members to join them in sending a letter
to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton calling on the Secretary to
"disavow her ill-considered statement." The letter also urges the Obama
Administration to unequivocally affirm the Armenian Genocide this April
24th and firmly recognize "genocide wherever and whenever it occurs."
Speaking at a town hall meeting last week at the State Department,
Secretary Clinton, in response to a question about the Armenian
Genocide and the recent developments in France surrounding the
adoption of new legislation criminalizing its denial, stated: "I
think it's fair to say that this has always been viewed, and I think
properly so, as a matter of historical debate and conclusions rather
than political. And I think that is the right posture for the United
States Government to be in, because whatever the terrible event might
be or the high emotions that it represents, to try to use government
power to resolve historical issues, I think, opens a door that is a
very dangerous one to go through."
Expressing surprise and dismay, the Assembly sent a letter to President
Barack Obama requesting swift action. "Secretary Clinton's response
is untenable and requires immediate remedy. Mr. President now is the
time to fulfill your campaign promise and unequivocally affirm the
Armenian Genocide," the Assembly wrote in its letter.
"There is no debate about the historical fact of the Armenian
Genocide," Reps. Schiff and Dold told the Assembly. "Raphael Lemkin,
a Holocaust survivor who coined the term genocide and worked tirelessly
toward the adoption of the United Nations Convention on the Prevention
and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, invoked the Armenian
experience as a prime example of genocide," continued Schiff and Dold.
"We welcome this bi-partisan initiative to set the record straight,"
stated Assembly Executive Director Bryan Ardouny. "We urge human
rights activists from across the country to make sure that their
Member of Congress signs this important letter to Secretary Clinton,"
added Ardouny.
Established in 1972, the Armenian Assembly of America is the largest
Washington-based nationwide organization promoting public understanding
and awareness of Armenian issues. The Assembly is a non-partisan,
501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership organization.
Noyan Tapan - News from Armenia
2012-02-04
Washington, DC - Members of Congress and the Armenian Assembly
expressed strong concerns regarding Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton's remarks on the Armenian Genocide at a town hall meeting
last week, reported the Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly).
In a dear colleague letter circulated today, Congressmen Adam
Schiff (D-CA) and Robert Dold (R-IL), sponsors of the Armenian
Genocide resolution, urged Members to join them in sending a letter
to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton calling on the Secretary to
"disavow her ill-considered statement." The letter also urges the Obama
Administration to unequivocally affirm the Armenian Genocide this April
24th and firmly recognize "genocide wherever and whenever it occurs."
Speaking at a town hall meeting last week at the State Department,
Secretary Clinton, in response to a question about the Armenian
Genocide and the recent developments in France surrounding the
adoption of new legislation criminalizing its denial, stated: "I
think it's fair to say that this has always been viewed, and I think
properly so, as a matter of historical debate and conclusions rather
than political. And I think that is the right posture for the United
States Government to be in, because whatever the terrible event might
be or the high emotions that it represents, to try to use government
power to resolve historical issues, I think, opens a door that is a
very dangerous one to go through."
Expressing surprise and dismay, the Assembly sent a letter to President
Barack Obama requesting swift action. "Secretary Clinton's response
is untenable and requires immediate remedy. Mr. President now is the
time to fulfill your campaign promise and unequivocally affirm the
Armenian Genocide," the Assembly wrote in its letter.
"There is no debate about the historical fact of the Armenian
Genocide," Reps. Schiff and Dold told the Assembly. "Raphael Lemkin,
a Holocaust survivor who coined the term genocide and worked tirelessly
toward the adoption of the United Nations Convention on the Prevention
and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, invoked the Armenian
experience as a prime example of genocide," continued Schiff and Dold.
"We welcome this bi-partisan initiative to set the record straight,"
stated Assembly Executive Director Bryan Ardouny. "We urge human
rights activists from across the country to make sure that their
Member of Congress signs this important letter to Secretary Clinton,"
added Ardouny.
Established in 1972, the Armenian Assembly of America is the largest
Washington-based nationwide organization promoting public understanding
and awareness of Armenian issues. The Assembly is a non-partisan,
501(c)(3) tax-exempt membership organization.