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Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
Dec 24 2011
US Armenians hail French `genocide' law
ANKARA
Ã`mit Enginsoy
The largest and most influential U.S. Armenian group late Dec. 22
welcomed a vote in French Parliament's lower house to criminalize the
denial of what it calls the `Armenian genocide.'
Aram Hamparian, executive director of the Armenian National Committee
of America (ANCA), hailed the move, saying that `today's overwhelming
vote by the French National Assembly reinforces the growing
international consensus and the mounting pressure on Turkey, for a
truthful and just resolution of the Armenian genocide.'
Hamparian urged the U.S. administration and Congress to move in a
similar way. `Closer to home, France's stand underscores the need for
our own American president and Congress to finally reject Ankara's gag
rule on the proper condemnation and commemoration of this still
unpunished crime against humanity,' he said in an ANCA statement. `We
mark this occasion by urging President [Barack] Obama to honor his
pledge to recognize the Armenian genocide and the House [of
Representatives] leadership to bring the Armenian genocide
resolution... for a full [House] floor vote.'
Armenians say the killing of their kinsmen in the World War I-era
Ottoman Empire amounted to genocide. Turkey immediately announced that
it was withdrawing its ambassador to Paris, Tahsin BurcuoÄ?lu, after
the French assembly's decision. Turkey has also warned that its
bilateral relations with the United States will deteriorate in a major
and lasting way in the event either the U.S. administrative or
legislative branch endorses an `Armenian genocide' move.
The U.S. Congress has declined to formally approve `Armenian genocide'
resolutions in recent decades. In the latest such effort, the U.S.
House of Representatives declined to hold a vote on a genocide
resolution last year. The French Senate, Parliament's upper chamber,
is expected to vote on the genocide denial bill early next year. The
Turkish government already has warned that it will retaliate seriously
if France formally endorses the latest bill.
December/24/2011
Dec 24 2011
US Armenians hail French `genocide' law
ANKARA
Ã`mit Enginsoy
The largest and most influential U.S. Armenian group late Dec. 22
welcomed a vote in French Parliament's lower house to criminalize the
denial of what it calls the `Armenian genocide.'
Aram Hamparian, executive director of the Armenian National Committee
of America (ANCA), hailed the move, saying that `today's overwhelming
vote by the French National Assembly reinforces the growing
international consensus and the mounting pressure on Turkey, for a
truthful and just resolution of the Armenian genocide.'
Hamparian urged the U.S. administration and Congress to move in a
similar way. `Closer to home, France's stand underscores the need for
our own American president and Congress to finally reject Ankara's gag
rule on the proper condemnation and commemoration of this still
unpunished crime against humanity,' he said in an ANCA statement. `We
mark this occasion by urging President [Barack] Obama to honor his
pledge to recognize the Armenian genocide and the House [of
Representatives] leadership to bring the Armenian genocide
resolution... for a full [House] floor vote.'
Armenians say the killing of their kinsmen in the World War I-era
Ottoman Empire amounted to genocide. Turkey immediately announced that
it was withdrawing its ambassador to Paris, Tahsin BurcuoÄ?lu, after
the French assembly's decision. Turkey has also warned that its
bilateral relations with the United States will deteriorate in a major
and lasting way in the event either the U.S. administrative or
legislative branch endorses an `Armenian genocide' move.
The U.S. Congress has declined to formally approve `Armenian genocide'
resolutions in recent decades. In the latest such effort, the U.S.
House of Representatives declined to hold a vote on a genocide
resolution last year. The French Senate, Parliament's upper chamber,
is expected to vote on the genocide denial bill early next year. The
Turkish government already has warned that it will retaliate seriously
if France formally endorses the latest bill.
December/24/2011