Tweet
U.S. HOUSE LEADERS PLEDGE ONGOING SUPPORT FOR ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RESOLUTION
PanARMENIAN.Net
April 22, 2010 - 11:48 AMT 06:48 GMT
Calls for President Barack Obama to properly recognize the Armenian
Genocide and upon the Congressional leadership to schedule a vote on
the Armenian Genocide Resolution took center stage on April 21 at the
Capitol Hill Armenian Genocide Observance, with Speaker Nancy Pelosi
(D-CA) and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) leading more than 20 of
their House colleagues at this remembrance calling for official U.S.
condemnation and commemoration of this crime against humanity,
reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).
The annual Armenian Genocide Observance, organized by the Congressional
Armenian Caucus with the support of Armenian American organizations,
was hosted by Caucus Co-Chairs Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Mark Kirk
(R-IL). Opening prayers were offered by His Eminence Oshagan Choloyan,
Prelate of the Armenian Apostolic Church of Eastern United States and
Archbishop Yeghishe Gezirian, representing the Diocese of the Armenian
Church of America Eastern Region. Earlier in the day, Archbishop
Choloyan had offered the opening prayer for the U.S. House earlier in
the day. Remarks were also offered by Armenian Ambassador to the U.S.,
His Excellency Tatoul Markarian, and the Nagorno Karabakh Republic's
representative in Washington, DC, Robert Avetisyan.
In speech after speech, Members of Congress condemned Turkey's refusal
to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide and its ongoing campaign to
pressure the international community into complicity in Ankara's
denial of this crime.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), a longtime supporter of Armenian Genocide
recognition, stressed the remaining survivors of this crime challenge
the conscience of America. She welcomed the passage of H.Res.252 by
the Foreign Affairs Committee and called on her colleagues not to
rest until the entire U.S. government properly recognizes this crime
as genocide. House Majority Leader, Steny Hoyer (D-MD) offered moving
comments about the core issues of conscience at stake in U.S.
recognition of the Armenian Genocide, and called on his colleagues
and all Americans to never stand as mere witnesses to genocide.
Congressman Howard Berman, who, as Chairman, shepherded the Armenian
Genocide Resolution through the Foreign Affairs Committee, spoke
powerfully about the moral obligation that all Americans bear to
both stand up against genocide and to oppose efforts to deny the
reality of genocidal crimes. The lead author of H.Res.252, Adam
Schiff (D-CA), spoke of his commitment to secure final adoption
of the Armenian Genocide Resolution by both houses of Congress and
the full recognition of this crime by both the U.S. government and,
ultimately, the government of Turkey as well. Armenia's Ambassador,
Tatoul Markarian, in his address to the gathering, stressed that
continued progress toward universal international recognition of the
Armenian Genocide represented an important contribution to prospects
for improved Turkey-Armenia relations. Similarly, the Republic of
Nagorno Karabakh's Representative, Robert Avetisyan, shared his
government's full support for U.S. and worldwide condemnation of the
Armenian Genocide.
PanARMENIAN.Net
April 22, 2010 - 11:48 AMT 06:48 GMT
Calls for President Barack Obama to properly recognize the Armenian
Genocide and upon the Congressional leadership to schedule a vote on
the Armenian Genocide Resolution took center stage on April 21 at the
Capitol Hill Armenian Genocide Observance, with Speaker Nancy Pelosi
(D-CA) and Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) leading more than 20 of
their House colleagues at this remembrance calling for official U.S.
condemnation and commemoration of this crime against humanity,
reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).
The annual Armenian Genocide Observance, organized by the Congressional
Armenian Caucus with the support of Armenian American organizations,
was hosted by Caucus Co-Chairs Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Mark Kirk
(R-IL). Opening prayers were offered by His Eminence Oshagan Choloyan,
Prelate of the Armenian Apostolic Church of Eastern United States and
Archbishop Yeghishe Gezirian, representing the Diocese of the Armenian
Church of America Eastern Region. Earlier in the day, Archbishop
Choloyan had offered the opening prayer for the U.S. House earlier in
the day. Remarks were also offered by Armenian Ambassador to the U.S.,
His Excellency Tatoul Markarian, and the Nagorno Karabakh Republic's
representative in Washington, DC, Robert Avetisyan.
In speech after speech, Members of Congress condemned Turkey's refusal
to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide and its ongoing campaign to
pressure the international community into complicity in Ankara's
denial of this crime.
Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), a longtime supporter of Armenian Genocide
recognition, stressed the remaining survivors of this crime challenge
the conscience of America. She welcomed the passage of H.Res.252 by
the Foreign Affairs Committee and called on her colleagues not to
rest until the entire U.S. government properly recognizes this crime
as genocide. House Majority Leader, Steny Hoyer (D-MD) offered moving
comments about the core issues of conscience at stake in U.S.
recognition of the Armenian Genocide, and called on his colleagues
and all Americans to never stand as mere witnesses to genocide.
Congressman Howard Berman, who, as Chairman, shepherded the Armenian
Genocide Resolution through the Foreign Affairs Committee, spoke
powerfully about the moral obligation that all Americans bear to
both stand up against genocide and to oppose efforts to deny the
reality of genocidal crimes. The lead author of H.Res.252, Adam
Schiff (D-CA), spoke of his commitment to secure final adoption
of the Armenian Genocide Resolution by both houses of Congress and
the full recognition of this crime by both the U.S. government and,
ultimately, the government of Turkey as well. Armenia's Ambassador,
Tatoul Markarian, in his address to the gathering, stressed that
continued progress toward universal international recognition of the
Armenian Genocide represented an important contribution to prospects
for improved Turkey-Armenia relations. Similarly, the Republic of
Nagorno Karabakh's Representative, Robert Avetisyan, shared his
government's full support for U.S. and worldwide condemnation of the
Armenian Genocide.