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ANCA-WR: US President's Record Challenged on Armenian Genocide Issue

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  • ANCA-WR: US President's Record Challenged on Armenian Genocide Issue

    PRESS RELEASE
    Armenian National Committee of America-Western Region
    104 North Belmont Street, Suite 200
    Glendale, California 91206
    Contact: Armen Carapetian, Government Relations Director
    Tel: 818-500-1918
    Fax: 818-246-7353
    Email: [email protected]
    Web: http://www.anca.org/


    The Armenian National Committee of America - Western Region (ANCA-WR)
    moments ago learned that a record 170 US Senators and Congressmen are
    to send President Bush a cosigned letter asking that he properly
    characterize the Armenian Genocide in his April 24th commemorative
    remarks.

    The letter, which is attached below, represents an unprecedented
    number of Members of Congress standing up to the President's use of
    euphemisms in describing the genocide of 1.5 million Armenians by
    Ottoman Turks from 1915 through 1923. In his bid for the Presidency in
    1999, George W. Bush wrote a strongly worded letter expressing
    unequivocally that he would honor the memory of the victims of the
    Armenian Genocide if elected President. However, while in office,
    President Bush has failed time and again to reaffirm the United
    States' long record on the Armenian Genocide. ANCA-WR has been working
    with Members of Congress representing constituents in western states
    to show the President that there is broad support for historical
    accuracy on this issue.

    More details are to follow in an official press release.


    April 21, 2004

    The Honorable George W. Bush
    President of the United States
    The White House
    1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
    Washington, DC 20500

    Dear Mr. President:

    We are writing to urge you to join us in reaffirming the United States
    record on the Armenian Genocide in your April 24 commemorative statement.

    This date marks the anniversary of the systematic and deliberate campaign
    of genocide perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire in 1915. Over the following
    eight years, one and a half million Armenians were tortured and murdered,
    and more than half a million were forced from their homeland into exile. In
    the years since, descendents of Armenian immigrants have thrived in the
    United States and in many other countries, bringing extraordinary vitality
    and achievement to communities across this nation and throughout the world.

    By properly recognizing the atrocities committed against the Armenian
    people as "genocide" in your statement, you will honor the many Americans
    who helped launch our first international human rights campaign to end the
    carnage and protect the survivors. The official U.S. response mirrored the
    overwhelming reaction by the American public to this crime against
    humanity, and as such, constitutes a proud, irrefutable and groundbreaking
    chapter in U.S. diplomatic history.

    Now more than ever as your administration seeks to bring an end to global
    terrorism and to help establish democracies in Afghanistan and Iraq, the
    memory of the genocide underscores our responsibility to help convey our
    cherished tradition of respect for fundamental human rights and opposition
    to mass slaughters. The victims of the Genocide deserve our remembrance
    and their rightful place in history. It is in the best interests of our
    nation and the entire global community to remember the past and learn from
    these crimes against humanity to ensure that they are never repeated.

    We look forward to your April 24 statement and stand ready to assist you in
    this endeavor and in the many other matters of importance to our nation
    related to Armenia and the South Caucasus region.

    From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
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