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US Armenians Look For November Recognition Of Â«GenocideÂ»

29 April 2010 04:52 (UTC +04:00)

Baku â€“ APA. Disappointed by the U.S. presidentâ€™s failure to declare the 1915 killings of Armenians as "genocide," advocates in the United States are expected to push for formal recognition in the run-up to Novemberâ€™s congressional elections, diplomats and analysts said, APA reports quoting turkishny.com web-page.
Armenian-Americans and their supporters in Congress "think they next have a chance in October, a few weeks before the hotly contested elections for the House of Representatives and the Senate," said one Turkish diplomat over the weekend.
"In U.S. domestic politics, ethnic and interest lobbies believe they are more effective at such pre-election times," the official said.
In his annual statement Saturday marking the beginning of the Armenian deportations during World War I, Obama declined to characterize last century’s Armenian deaths as "genocide," using instead the term "Meds Yeghern," meaning "the great calamity" in Armenian.
Unsatisfied by the president’s terminology, the Armenian National Committee of America, or ANCA, denounced Obama for avoiding the use of the English word "genocide."
"In yet another disgraceful capitulation to Turkey’s threats, President Obama once again failed to properly recognize the Armenian genocide, offering euphemisms and evasive terminology to characterize this crime against humanity," the ANCA said in a weekend statement.
"Today we join with Armenians in the United States and around the world in voicing our sharp disappointment with the president’s failure to properly condemn and commemorate the Armenian genocide," said ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian.
The Armenian Assembly of America, another major U.S. Armenian group, was more measured in criticizing Obama. "We have long stated that U.S. affirmation of the Armenian genocide should not be held hostage to Armenia-Turkey relations," said Bryan Ardouny, the assembly’s executive director.
"Unequivocal affirmation of the Armenian genocide will also further the cause of genocide prevention worldwide and be more faithful to American principles," he said.