Yovanovitch: U.S. President’s position on April 24 unchanged

April 24, 2011 - 09:57 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - Each year on April 24, employees of the U.S. embassy in Yerevan visit the Armenians Genocide Memorial.

“It’s a very sad day today and members of our embassy visit the memorial to honor the memory of the tragedy victims. This year, the day is particular symbolic as it coincided with the Easter,” ambassador Marie Yovanovitch said.

As to U.S. President Barack Obama’s annual statement, amb. Yovanovitch said in was “strong message which proves devotion to the Armenian people.” “The position of the U.S. President has not changed,” she said.

This year, Obama again used the Armenian term Mets Yeghern, avoiding the Genocide word, in his annual address to the Armenian community.

24.04.11 - Genocide victims commemoration day

The Armenian Genocide

The Armenian Genocide (1915-23) was the deliberate and systematic destruction of the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire during and just after World War I. It was characterized by massacres and deportations, involving forced marches under conditions designed to lead to the death of the deportees, with the total number of deaths reaching 1.5 million.

The majority of Armenian Diaspora communities were formed by the Genocide survivors.

Present-day Turkey denies the fact of the Armenian Genocide, justifying the atrocities as “deportation to secure Armenians”. Only a few Turkish intellectuals, including Nobel Prize winner Orhan Pamuk and scholar Taner Akcam, speak openly about the necessity to recognize this crime against humanity.

The Armenian Genocide was recognized by Uruguay, Russia, France, Lithuania, Italy, 45 U.S. states, Greece, Cyprus, Lebanon, Argentina, Belgium, Austria, Wales, Switzerland, Canada, Poland, Venezuela, Chile, Bolivia, the Vatican, Luxembourg, Brazil, Germany, the Netherlands, Paraguay, Sweden, Venezuela, Slovakia, Syria, Vatican, as well as the European Parliament and the World Council of Churches.