'07 US Armenian Genocide Bill news

[Joseph]

Cartoon

http://www.flickr.com/photos/10091375@N02/1743365658/

[Gavur]

I love that "Denial Award " to Bush!
Lol

[Alexandros]

ANCA: Joe Biden Cosponsors Armenian Genocide Resolution


Date: Thu, 24 Jan 2008 01:50:21 -0800 (PST)

Armenian National Committee of America
1711 N Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036
Tel. (202) 775-1918
Fax. (202) 775-5648
[email protected]
Internet: www.anca.org


PRESS RELEASE
January 23, 2008
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918

JOE BIDEN COSPONSORS ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RESOLUTION

-- Influential Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman
Adds New Energy to Adoption of Anti-Genocide Legislation

WASHINGTON, DC - The highly regarded and influential chairman of
the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Senator Joseph Biden (D-
DE), a longtime supporter of U.S. recognition of the Armenian
Genocide, officially announced his support yesterday for the
Armenian Genocide Resolution (S.Res.106), reported the Armenian
National Committee of America (ANCA).

"Armenian Americans - and all those committed to forever ending the
cycle of genocide - welcome Chairman Biden's principled support for
Congressional reaffirmation of the Armenian Genocide, and thank him
for his years of leadership in helping to put America back on the
right side of this compelling moral and foreign policy issue," said
ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian.

Chairman Biden has long been a supporter of proper U.S.
reaffirmation of the Armenian Genocide, cosponsoring legislation in
successive sessions of Congress. Last year, he introduced
legislation "condemning the murder of Turkish-Armenian journalist
and human rights advocate Hrant Dink and urging the people of
Turkey to honor his legacy of tolerance." The resolution,
S.Res.65, noted that Dink was "subjected to legal action under
Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code for referring to the 1915
massacre of Armenians as genocide." Chairman Biden also led Senate
Foreign Relations Committee efforts to uncover the circumstances
surrounding the firing of former U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John
Evans, for properly characterizing the Armenian Genocide as a clear
case of genocide.

The Armenian Genocide Resolution calls upon the President to ensure
that the foreign policy of the United States reflects appropriate
understanding and sensitivity concerning issues related to human
rights, ethnic cleansing, and genocide documented in the United
States record relating to the Armenian Genocide. Senator Biden's
decision yesterday brings the official Senate cosponsor list to 34.

Introduced by Assistant Majority Leader xxxx Durbin (D-IL) and Sen.
John Ensign (R-NV), the legislation has the support of key Senate
leaders including Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and
presidential candidate Hillary Clinton (D-NY). Earlier this week,
Senator Barack Obama (D-IL), called for Congressional adoption of
the legislation. "America deserves a leader who speaks truthfully
about the Armenian Genocide and responds forcefully to all
genocides. I intend to be that President," noted Sen. Obama.

Similar legislation in the U.S. House (H.Res.106), spearheaded by
Rep. Adam Schiff along with Representative George Radanovich (R-
CA), Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs Frank Pallone (D-NJ)
and Joe Knollenberg (R-MI), Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA) and Rep. Brad
Sherman (D-CA), has over 200 cosponsors and was adopted by the
House Foreign Affairs Committee in October 2007, despite Turkish
threats, the strong opposition of the Bush Administration and
personal lobbying by the President.

Over the past year, Armenian Americans and human rights advocates
have joined with Members of Congress in educating their colleagues
about the Armenian Genocide and the importance of proper
recognition of this crime against humanity. The ANCA has mounted
several national grassroots initiatives including the highly
successful "Click for Justice" and "Call for Justice" campaigns as
well as the "End the Cycle of Genocide" Advocacy Days, cosponsored
with the Genocide Intervention Network.

#####

PHOTO CAPTION: Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Joe
Biden (D-DE) with ANCA Government Affairs Director Kate Nahapetian
and Legislative Affairs Director Raffi Karakashian.

source

[Steph]

Just like Bill did????

Hillary Clinton pledges to recognize Armenian Genocide
25.01.2008 13:51 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Democratic Presidential hopeful Hillary Clinton called for Congressional passage of the Armenian Genocide Resolution and pledged that, as President, she will recognize the Armenian Genocide, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

"Our common morality and our nation’s credibility as a voice for human rights challenge us to ensure that the Armenian Genocide be recognized and remembered by the Congress and the President of the United States," said Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-NY).

"Armenian Americans from across the United States welcome Hillary Clinton’s strong support for the adoption of the Armenian Genocide Resolution, and her pledge to recognize the Armenian Genocide as President of the United States," said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. "Hillary Clinton’s statement, which reflects her consistent track record of support in public office, speaks powerfully to our community’s deeply held concerns regarding the recognition of the Armenian Genocide, the expansion of the U.S.-Armenia relationship, and a fair and democratic resolution of the Nagorno Karabakh conflict."

[Steph]

Clinton, too, vows to recognize 'Armenian genocide' as president
Saturday, January 26, 2008

Two top Democratic presidential candidates are vying for the ethnic Armenian vote

ÜMİT ENGİNSOY
WASHINGTON - Turkish Daily News

Top Democratic presidential hopeful Senator Hillary Clinton, following in her rival Senator Barack Obama's footsteps, has announced that she will recognize World War I era killings of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire as genocide, if elected as U.S. president.

"I believe the horrible events perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire against Armenians constitute a clear case of genocide," Clinton said Thursday in statements sent to two leading U.S. Armenian groups. "I have twice written to President (George W.) Bush calling on him to refer to the Armenian genocide in his annual commemorative statement and, as president, I will recognize the Armenian genocide," she said. Clinton also called for the passage of two genocide resolutions, one pending in the Senate and the other in the House of Representatives.

In a weekend statement, Obama also pledged to recognize what he called the Armenian genocide and voiced his backing for the passage of the same resolutions in Congress. Obama additionally promised to work to put an end to "Turkish and Azerbaijani blockades" of Armenia. Clinton did not mention this point.

Close race:

These remarks by Clinton and Obama came days before critical primaries and caucuses in 24 states over the next couple of weeks. Ethnic Armenians are a considerable factor in some of those states, most notably California. U.S. Armenian groups have called on fellow Armenian voters to back candidates supporting the Armenian cause.Clinton, leading the race so far, has won primaries in New Hampshire and Nevada, and Obama got the Iowa caucuses. But their competition is tight.As a senator since 2002, Clinton has co-sponsored genocide legislation, but at a meeting with editors of The Boston Globe in October she voiced reservations about the adoption of the pending House resolution, prompting Armenian criticism. But top officials from the Armenian National Committee of America and the Armenian Assembly of America, the two largest U.S. Armenian organizations, have praised Clinton for her latest position.

Former presidents:

In spite of pro-Armenian statements during election campaigns, no U.S. president in the last 20 years has ever supported the passage of genocide resolutions in Congress. For instance Bush, when he was a presidential hopeful in February 2000, pledged to recognize the Armenian incidents "in the proper way," but has consistently opposed genocide resolutions throughout his seven-year presidency, angering the Armenians.Bush's predecessor and Hillary's husband, Bill Clinton, also made a last minute effort in October 2000, preventing the passage of genocide legislation in the House of Representatives.

Turkey makes it clear that any congressional adoption of such bills will hurt relations with the United States beyond repair and in a lasting way. However, analysts say that although Clinton and probably Obama may also change their positions if elected president, their present statements favoring the Armenian cause are pretty strong.

Among Republican contenders, Rudy Giuliani had issued genocide proclamations when he was mayor of New York in the late 1990s and early 2000s. He is seen as the most pro-Armenian candidate. Among others, Senator John McCain has consistently opposed genocide resolutions, and former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee and former Massachusetts governor Mitt Romney are not close to the Armenians.