U.S. will urge Turkey to recognize Armenian Genocide soon

PanARMENIAN.Net - "Approval of Ambassador-designate Marie Yovanovitch's appointment by U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee culminated an important milestone toward recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the U.S. executive branch", ARF Dashnaktsutyun Bureau's Hay Dat and Political Affairs Office Director Giro Manoyan told a PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.



"22 months after Senator Menendez put his hold on Richard Hoagland's nomination, through the written responses and clarifications of the Ambassador designate and the U.S. Acting Assistant Secretary for Legislative Affairs, the US State Department affirms that: "



A) Over one and a half million Armenians have fallen victim to the mass killings, ethnic cleansing, and forced deportations conducted by the Ottoman Empire;



B) The US does not cast any doubt on the veracity, and its goal is to help preserve the memory, of one of the greatest tragedies of the 20th century, the "Medz Yeghern," or Great Calamity, as Armenians refer to it, and that not characterizing it as genocide is exclusively a policy adopted by the US President;



C) To achieve full reconciliation, Turkey must come to terms with its past," Mr. Manoyan said.



"I think, the Senate will soon confirm Ms. Yovanovitch's nomination and she will arrive in Yerevan to assume her duties. Time and events have demonstrated that the policy and efforts of the Armenian-American community in general and specifically of the Armenian National Committee of America were right and efficient. I am convinced that with such high level of political influence, Armenian-Americans and their supporters in the US legislature will soon attain the recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the US President. It is obvious that Turkey not only has no reason to be content with the expressed US current policy, but should be extremely concerned that the day is near when the United States of America, through its legislature, its executive branch and its President will call upon Turkey to recognize the Armenian Genocide," Mr. Manoyan concluded.