JOHN EVANS: "ARMENIAN GENOCIDE WAS FIRST GENOCIDE OF 20-TH CENTURY"

PanARMENIAN.Net - During the meeting with the representatives of the Armenian community in San Francisco US Ambassador to Armenia John Evans spoke of the "importance of the Armenian Genocide recognition", IA Regnum reports according to the Armenian National Committee of America. "Today I will call it the Armenian Genocide", Mr. Evans stated. The Ambassador stated that he "has examined the issue of the Armenian Genocide with the help of Professor Richard Hovhanissian's works". According to the source, Mr. Evans stated that he held consultations with an attorney from the US Department of State, who defined the massacres of the 1915 as Genocide. Representatives of the US Administration and other officials avoided the word "Genocide" when speaking of the tragedy that took place Turkey at the beginning of last century, the source notes. "None of the US officials has ever denied this fact. I just think to play on words in this case would not fit Americans", Mr. Evans said. "I believe that things should called by their proper names, however US's formal policy towards Turkey has not changed, as Turkey has some old military ties with NATO". "The Armenian Genocide was the first Genocide of the 20-th century", The Us Ambassador stated noting that at that time the world was not ready to give an adequate reaction. "But I would like to assure you that we are going to work at this problem", he said. When touching upon US-Turkish relations, Mr. Evans stated, "we want to witness development within the Turkish society. Let's hope that once views will change".