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Obama Taps Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Biden As His Vice Presi

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  • Obama Taps Senate Foreign Relations Chairman Biden As His Vice Presi

    OBAMA TAPS SENATE FOREIGN RELATIONS CHAIRMAN BIDEN AS HIS VICE PRESIDENTIAL RUNNING MATE

    AZG Armenian Daily
    26/08/2008

    Armenian Genocide - USA

    With the selection of the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations
    Committee, Senator Joseph Biden, Jr. (D-DE), as his Vice-Presidential
    running-mate, Presumptive Democratic Presidential Nominee Senator
    Barack Obama has chosen a person with a long record of support on
    Armenian-American issues, reported the Armenian Assembly of America
    (Assembly).

    Senator Joe Biden, now in his sixth term, has championed the cause
    of freedom and human rights throughout his career. In 1987, Senator
    Biden wrote to Assembly Board of Trustees Chairman Hirair Hovnanian
    with respect to his support for S.J.Res. 43, declaring April 24th
    as the National Day of Remembrance for the Victims of the Armenian
    Genocide. In the letter, Senator Biden agreed with Chairman Hovnanian's
    view "that we must not allow a revisionist rewriting of the history
    of the terrible atrocities committed against the Armenian people."

    In 1989, as Chairman of the Judiciary Committee, Biden supported
    S.J.Res. 212, which also affirmed the Armenian Genocide. During the
    Committee hearing, Biden was sharply critical of revisionist scholars
    supporting Turkey's denial of the Armenian Genocide. Biden also
    told the Armenian community that "it is particularly regrettable
    that the Turkish government has chosen to make an issue of this
    resolution and make an unprecedented lobbying campaign against it in
    Congress. Nonetheless, we cannot cave into the pressure of an important
    ally and rewrite history by denying the occurrence of the genocide."

    "Chairman Biden has consistently demonstrated his leadership on foreign
    policy issues, including as it pertains to acknowledging the historical
    truth of the Armenian Genocide, as well as U.S. policy and funding
    in the South Caucasus," said Assembly Executive Director Bryan Ardouny.

    Speaking about the right to self-determination during the early stages
    of the Soviet Union's disintegration, in 1990, Senator Biden said
    that "We [United States] must place the right of self-determination
    at its center. Nagorno Karabakh only reminds us of the need, and the
    responsibility, of the United States to let it be known to the whole
    world that we condemn the suppression of free speech and expression
    everywhere, condemn the use of force to silence those who seek freedom,
    and recognize the right of all peoples to decide for themselves the
    form of government under which they choose to live."

    Senator Biden also voted in support of Senator John Kerry's (D-MA)
    "Conditions on Assistance to Azerbaijan" amendment to the Freedom
    Support Act in 1992, which became known as Section 907. Following the
    devastating earthquake in Armenia in 1988, as well as Azerbaijan's
    ongoing assault against Armenians, in 1993, Biden joined in signing
    a letter to then Secretary of State Warren Christopher calling for a
    "stronger U.S. response to the crisis in the Republic of Armenia,"
    as "the people of Armenia are experiencing winter without fuel or
    adequate supplies of food as a result of the continued economic
    blockade imposed by neighboring Azerbaijan and the sabotage of a
    natural gas pipeline through Georgia."

    Throughout the 1990s, Biden defended Section 907 of the Freedom Support
    Act, which was adopted in response to Azerbaijan's hostile actions
    and blockade against Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh. In a critical vote
    in 1999, when opponents, including oil companies tried to repeal
    Section 907 to curry favor with Azerbaijan, Senator Biden stood by
    his principles and voted to maintain this important provision of law.

    In the 110th Congress, Chairman Biden continues to play a critical
    leadership role, from his introduction of legislation honoring the
    legacy of slain journalist Hrant Dink and calling upon Turkey to
    repeal Article 301 of its penal code, which punishes discussion of the
    Armenian Genocide, to his cosponsorship of S.Res. 106, which affirms
    the Armenian Genocide, as well as taking the Administration to task
    for its flawed policy with respect to the ability of Ambassadors to
    acknowledge the Armenian Genocide.

    The Assembly recently praised the efforts of Senator Biden along with
    his Senate Foreign Relations Committee colleagues for ensuring that
    U.S. reaffirmation of the Armenian Genocide remained at the forefront
    during the nomination of Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch to serve as
    the next U.S. Ambassador to Armenia.

    Senator Obama is also on record with respect to Armenian issues
    having stated "I have stood with the Armenian American community in
    calling for Turkey's acknowledgement of the Armenian Genocide." Obama
    has also stated that he strongly supports passage of the Armenian
    Genocide Resolution (H.Res.106 and S.Res.106).
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