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Today's Zaman, Turkey
Jan 29 2011
California lawmakers push for `genocide' bill
29 January 2011, Saturday / TODAY'S ZAMAN, İSTANBUL
California State Assembly members Anthony Portantino and Katcho
Achadjian, along with State Senator Joe Simitian, have proposed a
resolution marking April 24, 2011 as `California Day of Remembrance
for the Armenian Genocide.'
Every year pro-Armenian senators introduce similar draft resolutions,
which pass in the State Assembly but are not binding at a federal
level. The proposed resolution also urges US President Barack Obama
and the US Congress to officially recognize the 1915 killings as
genocide, while asking Turkey to face its history and admit to
genocide claims.
Armenians claim that up to 1.5 million Armenians were slaughtered at
the hands of Ottoman Turks in 1915, but Turkey rejects the
allegations, saying that the number is inflated and that both sides
suffered losses. Nearly a million ethnic Armenians live in California
and constitute large portion of the electorate in the southern part of
the state.
`The Armenian massacre was one of the greatest crimes in modern
history and to ignore it is to condone it,' Armenian media reported
Portantino as saying. He added that they hope to properly commemorate
`this horrendous act' and offer some peace and respect for the
survivors and their family members who live in California.
`The crimes committed against the Armenian people by the Ottoman Turks
must never be forgotten,' said Mike Gatto, State Assembly member who
was one of the principal co-authors of the resolution, adding: `Once
again, the largest state in the United States is tasked with reminding
the world of these events. We call upon the nation as a whole to stand
with us and do the same.'
Armenian-Americans are attempting to bring similar resolutions to
Congress' agenda, but have been unsuccessful thus far.
Turkey and Armenia, in a bid to bury century-long animosities, made a
bold move in 2009 through signing twin protocols, which included the
opening of the border. However, the process stalled over the territory
dispute of Nagorno-Karabakh, located between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
From: A. Papazian
Jan 29 2011
California lawmakers push for `genocide' bill
29 January 2011, Saturday / TODAY'S ZAMAN, İSTANBUL
California State Assembly members Anthony Portantino and Katcho
Achadjian, along with State Senator Joe Simitian, have proposed a
resolution marking April 24, 2011 as `California Day of Remembrance
for the Armenian Genocide.'
Every year pro-Armenian senators introduce similar draft resolutions,
which pass in the State Assembly but are not binding at a federal
level. The proposed resolution also urges US President Barack Obama
and the US Congress to officially recognize the 1915 killings as
genocide, while asking Turkey to face its history and admit to
genocide claims.
Armenians claim that up to 1.5 million Armenians were slaughtered at
the hands of Ottoman Turks in 1915, but Turkey rejects the
allegations, saying that the number is inflated and that both sides
suffered losses. Nearly a million ethnic Armenians live in California
and constitute large portion of the electorate in the southern part of
the state.
`The Armenian massacre was one of the greatest crimes in modern
history and to ignore it is to condone it,' Armenian media reported
Portantino as saying. He added that they hope to properly commemorate
`this horrendous act' and offer some peace and respect for the
survivors and their family members who live in California.
`The crimes committed against the Armenian people by the Ottoman Turks
must never be forgotten,' said Mike Gatto, State Assembly member who
was one of the principal co-authors of the resolution, adding: `Once
again, the largest state in the United States is tasked with reminding
the world of these events. We call upon the nation as a whole to stand
with us and do the same.'
Armenian-Americans are attempting to bring similar resolutions to
Congress' agenda, but have been unsuccessful thus far.
Turkey and Armenia, in a bid to bury century-long animosities, made a
bold move in 2009 through signing twin protocols, which included the
opening of the border. However, the process stalled over the territory
dispute of Nagorno-Karabakh, located between Azerbaijan and Armenia.
From: A. Papazian