Citing Pope’s sermons, US senators introduce Genocide centennial resolution
On the heels of Pope Francis’ historic statement reaffirming the Armenian Genocide and the European Parliament’s overwhelming condemnation of that crime last week, US senators have introduced legislation eking durable Armenian-Turkish relations based on Turkey’s “full acknowledgment” of the Armenian Genocide.
The bipartisan legislation, tabled by Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Mark Kirk (R-IL), Barbara Boxer (D-IL), and Cory Gardner (R-CO), is being launched on the eve of President Obama’s anticipated April 24th statement, widely viewed as a watershed moment in terms of U.S. policy on the Armenian Genocide, Asbarez reports, citing the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).
The measure praises the Pontiff for describing “the atrocities perpetrated by the Ottoman Turks against the Armenians as the first genocide of the 20th Century.” It is nearly identical to one introduced in April of 2014 – with the addition of language regarding the Pope’s reaffirmation. A revised version of the resolution was adopted by the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee, by a 12 to 5 vote last year.
“The Pope’s inspirational call to conscience – reflected in today’s Armenian Genocide legislation and reinforced by calls from all corners of American civil society – shines a welcome spotlight on the clear choice before President Obama on April 24th. With the world watching during this solemn Centennial, President Obama needs to decide. He can speak the truth, and establish a legacy of principled American leadership against genocide; or, he can cave in to Ankara’s threats, allowing the Turkish government to tighten the gag-rule it so publicly enforces on the U.S. government,” said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian.
“We join with our community and all our genocide-prevention coalition partners in supporting the principled leadership of Senators Menendez, Kirk, Boxer and Gardner. We are particularly encouraged that this forward-looking measure urges President Obama to seek an enduring improvement in Armenian-Turkish relations through the only principled and practical path, Ankara’s full acknowledgement and honest reckoning with this still unpunished crime,” continued Hamparian.
Lead sponsors – Senators Menendez, Kirk, Boxer and Gardner – cited the importance of a clear U.S. policy reaffirming the Armenian Genocide.
“One hundred years ago, 1.5 million Armenian men, women, and children were killed by Ottoman Turks during the Armenian Genocide,” Senator Menendez said. “It is past time for this atrocity to be recognized for what it was: a targeted ethnic cleansing of the Armenian population. This Resolution makes clear that it is unacceptable to deny the facts and history of the Armenian Genocide and continue to silence the voices of those who perished. As the world gathers to commemorate the centenary of the Armenian Genocide on April 24th, the United States must commit itself to recognizing the full meaning, magnitude and history of this genocide in order to both honor the innocent victims and prevent similar tragedies from happening again,” continued Menendez.
“100 years is far too long not to call the murder of 1.5 million Armenians what it was: genocide,” said Senator Kirk. “In April 1915 during the beginning of WWI, the Ottoman Turks systematically killed 1.5 million Armenians and forced many others to flee their homeland. It is long past time that the United States recognize it as a genocide and honor the victims, those who survived and ensure atrocities such as this never happen again,” Senator Kirk said.
“This year marks the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide – an unspeakable tragedy that has left a dark stain on the collective conscience of the world,” Senator Boxer said. “More than 20 countries, 43 U.S. states and Pope Francis have unequivocally affirmed the Armenian Genocide and it is time for the United States to join them,” concluded Senator Boxer.
“This year marks the 100th anniversary of the beginning of one of the greatest crimes against humanity of the 20th century, the Armenian Genocide,” said Senator Gardner. “The lives of as many as 1.5 million men, women, and children were brutally ended, leaving lasting scars on the families and communities affected. This resolution honors the memory of those who were killed, and helps us resolve anew to never allow such an event to occur again,” noted Senator Gardner.
A parallel measure (H.Res.154), the Armenian Genocide Truth + Justice Resolution, has been introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives spearheaded by Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Robert Dold (D-IL), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Frank Pallone (D-NJ), and David Valadao (R-CA).
Videos
Interview with Francis Malige, EBRD Managing Director
Armenians Commemorating 106th Anniversary of Genocide
Biden Under Pressure to Recognize Armenian Genocide - KTLA 5 News
Governance and Oversight Capacities Account for Our Bank's Robust Management System - Philip Lynch, Independent Board Member at Ameriabank
'Mr. President, It Is Now in Your Power to Right Decades of Denial' - US Congressman Adam Schiff Urges Joe Biden to Recognize Armenian Genocide
Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh in Despair After Trauma of Military Defeat - France 24
Interview with Kakhaber Kiknavelidze, an Independent Member of Ameriabank Board of Directors
Only Terrorists Keep Hostages, Putting Forward Preconditions for Their Release - Edmon Marukyan
Rep Adam Schiff Says Congress Should Recognize Artsakh
UN's Guterres Issues Global Appeal to Make 2021 'Year of Healing'
NASA's Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover Landing Animations
Azerbaijan Uses Prohibited Phosphorus Chemical Munitions - Defense Army Video
Artsakh Defense Army Units Neutralizing Azerbaijani Arms Supplies
Artsakh Defense Army Units Neutralizing Azerbaijani Drone
Nagorno-Karabakh's Status Has Been At the Heart of Our Approach - Zohrab Mnatsakanyan
Artsakh Defense Army Releases Video Featuring Damaged Azerbaijani Military Equipment
Artsakh Defense Army Units Inflicting Manpower Losses on Azerbaijan
Gas Pipeline Damaged in Azerbaijani Fire Targeting Nagorno-Karabakh's Capital
President Armen Sarkissian Meets Emmanuel Macron at Élysée Palace
Artsakh Defense Army Neutralizes Azerbaijani Military Hardware
Artsakh Defense Army Units Neutralizing Azerbaijani Military Infrastructures
President Armen Sarkissian Meets with NATO Secretary-General in Brussels
Buildings and Homes Lying in Ruins in Nagorno-Karabakh's Capital After Azerbaijani Shelling
Artsakh Defense Army's Precision Fire Gives Deadly Blow to Enemy
Artsakh Defense Army Units Destroying Azerbaijani Tank
Zohrab Mnatsakanyan: Ceasefire Does not Mandate Azerbaijan to Kill Civilians and Hit Civilian Settlements
Armenians Protest Outside Turkrish Embassy in Los Angeles
Losses in Azerbaijan's Military Featured in Defense Army Footage
Artsakh Defense Army Neutralizing Adversary's Transport Column
Turkey openly backs Azerbaijan 'far more aggressively than in the past' - ABC News on Syrian mercenaries fighting in Karabakh
Iconic Armenian Church Hit in Azerbaijani Attacks in Nagorno-Karabakh City (photos)
Artsakh Defense Army Continues High-Precision Strikes
War Situation in Karabakh on European Parliament's Agenda
Call for Urgent Action: Armenian Journalist Brings Intn'l Colleagues' Attention to Situation iin Artsakh After Azerbaijani Attacks
Turkey's Support to Syrian Mercenaries Fighting Against Artsakh: Facts About Azerbaijani Aggression
Nagorno-Karabakh's Capital Under Azerbaijani Strikes
Armenian Armed Forces Neutralize Azerbaijani Defense Positions
ArmenianTroops Destroy Azerbaijani Armored Fighting Vehicle on Frontline
There is a solid evidence that Azerbaijan has launched a thoroughly planned attack on the NKR
EU calls for Immediate End to Hostilities over Nagorno-Karabakh
- 15:20 • 24.05.21 Interview with Francis Malige, EBRD Managing Director
- 11:39 • 24.04.21 Armenians Commemorating 106th Anniversary of Genocide
- 09:40 • 23.04.21 Biden Under Pressure to Recognize Armenian Genocide - KTLA 5 News
- 15:34 • 22.04.21 Governance and Oversight Capacities Account for Our Bank's Robust Management System - Philip Lynch, Independent Board Member at Ameriabank
- 14:09 • 21.04.21 'Mr. President, It Is Now in Your Power to Right Decades of Denial' - US Congressman Adam Schiff Urges Joe Biden to Recognize Armenian Genocide
- 12:37 • 03.04.21 Armenians of Nagorno-Karabakh in Despair After Trauma of Military Defeat - France 24
- 17:33 • 11.03.21 Interview with Kakhaber Kiknavelidze, an Independent Member of Ameriabank Board of Directors
- 17:57 • 26.01.21 Only Terrorists Keep Hostages, Putting Forward Preconditions for Their Release - Edmon Marukyan
- 13:33 • 22.01.21 Rep Adam Schiff Says Congress Should Recognize Artsakh
- 09:42 • 29.12.20 UN's Guterres Issues Global Appeal to Make 2021 'Year of Healing'
- 18:41 • 24.12.20 NASA's Mars 2020 Perseverance Rover Landing Animations
- 13:33 • 31.10.20 Azerbaijan Uses Prohibited Phosphorus Chemical Munitions - Defense Army Video
- 16:37 • 30.10.20 Artsakh Defense Army Units Neutralizing Azerbaijani Arms Supplies
- 11:25 • 28.10.20 Artsakh Defense Army Units Neutralizing Azerbaijani Drone
- 13:45 • 24.10.20 Nagorno-Karabakh's Status Has Been At the Heart of Our Approach - Zohrab Mnatsakanyan
- 11:51 • 24.10.20 Artsakh Defense Army Releases Video Featuring Damaged Azerbaijani Military Equipment
- 11:40 • 24.10.20 Artsakh Defense Army Units Inflicting Manpower Losses on Azerbaijan
- 10:39 • 24.10.20 Gas Pipeline Damaged in Azerbaijani Fire Targeting Nagorno-Karabakh's Capital
- 12:41 • 23.10.20 President Armen Sarkissian Meets Emmanuel Macron at Élysée Palace
- 12:16 • 23.10.20 Artsakh Defense Army Neutralizes Azerbaijani Military Hardware
- 12:02 • 22.10.20 Artsakh Defense Army Units Neutralizing Azerbaijani Military Infrastructures
- 10:35 • 22.10.20 President Armen Sarkissian Meets with NATO Secretary-General in Brussels
- 10:51 • 17.10.20 Buildings and Homes Lying in Ruins in Nagorno-Karabakh's Capital After Azerbaijani Shelling
- 15:09 • 15.10.20 Artsakh Defense Army's Precision Fire Gives Deadly Blow to Enemy
- 13:13 • 13.10.20 Artsakh Defense Army Units Destroying Azerbaijani Tank
- 12:56 • 12.10.20 Zohrab Mnatsakanyan: Ceasefire Does not Mandate Azerbaijan to Kill Civilians and Hit Civilian Settlements
- 12:23 • 12.10.20 Armenians Protest Outside Turkrish Embassy in Los Angeles
- 17:23 • 09.10.20 Losses in Azerbaijan's Military Featured in Defense Army Footage
- 15:53 • 09.10.20 Artsakh Defense Army Neutralizing Adversary's Transport Column
- 14:11 • 09.10.20 Turkey openly backs Azerbaijan 'far more aggressively than in the past' - ABC News on Syrian mercenaries fighting in Karabakh
- 15:52 • 08.10.20 Iconic Armenian Church Hit in Azerbaijani Attacks in Nagorno-Karabakh City (photos)
- 10:57 • 08.10.20 Artsakh Defense Army Continues High-Precision Strikes
- 14:24 • 07.10.20 War Situation in Karabakh on European Parliament's Agenda
- 19:31 • 05.10.20 Call for Urgent Action: Armenian Journalist Brings Intn'l Colleagues' Attention to Situation iin Artsakh After Azerbaijani Attacks
- 16:17 • 04.10.20 Turkey's Support to Syrian Mercenaries Fighting Against Artsakh: Facts About Azerbaijani Aggression
- 12:39 • 04.10.20 Nagorno-Karabakh's Capital Under Azerbaijani Strikes
- 13:49 • 03.10.20 Armenian Armed Forces Neutralize Azerbaijani Defense Positions
- 10:12 • 29.09.20 ArmenianTroops Destroy Azerbaijani Armored Fighting Vehicle on Frontline
- 23:42 • 28.09.20 There is a solid evidence that Azerbaijan has launched a thoroughly planned attack on the NKR
- 18:45 • 28.09.20 EU calls for Immediate End to Hostilities over Nagorno-Karabakh
Most popular articles Today Yesterday For a week
-
Culture 15:28 • 22/04 An exhibition dedicated to Charles Aznavour's centennial anniversary. Yerevan, May 22-July 22 A selection of these artifacts will also be exhibited in Gyumri. Following the exhibition's conclusion, the initiators plan to donate the entire collection to the Charles Aznavour Museum in Yerevan for both permanent and temporary exhibitions.
Economy
-
10:59 • 08.04.24 Ucom continues network modernization in regions of Armenia
-
15:41 • 29.03.24 Director General of Ucom took part in a recruiting conference
Event
-
12:22 • 16.04.24 Ucom continues network modernization in regions of Armenia
-
11:11 • 10.04.24 Ucom has released a new package offer