WASHINGTON–Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) has formally shared the reservations of the Silver State’s Armenian community regarding the dangers of the recently signed Turkey-Armenia protocols with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).
In an Oct. 30 letter to ANCA-Nevada activist Razmig Libarian, the Senate leader reported that he had recently written to Clinton to pass along the concerns of his state’s citizens of Armenian heritage, and to encourage her to meet directly with the national leadership of the Armenian American community regarding the state of Turkey-Armenia relations.
In his letter to Clinton, dated Oct. 20, Reid wrote: “I am sure you are aware that this agreement has raised concerns in the Armenian community inside the United States. I have received many letters from Nevadans who do not support the creation of an international commission to examine the historical record on the genocide and who believe that the agreements are unfair to Armenia… Given the serious nature of the community’s concerns, I felt it was important to raise them directly with you. The commission is particularly sensitive to the Armenian American community since the Armenian Genocide has never been recognized by Turkey.”
Despite the high profile of Armenia-Turkey ties in the Obama Administration’s foreign policy agenda, neither President Obama nor Secretary Clinton has met with the Armenian American community leadership.
The full text of both letters is provided below.
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Oct. 30, 2009
Dear Mr. Libarian:
Thank you for contacting me about your concerns regarding relations between Armenia and Turkey. I appreciate hearing from you.
I have always, and will continue to, recognize the terrible atrocities that took place in 1915 as genocide. As I said to those gathered for the Armenian American Cultural Society of Las Vegas’ annual commemoration on April 19, 2009, I believe that the United States should acknowledge the Armenian Genocide.
On Sept. 1, 2009, Armenia and Turkey signed protocols that expressed a desire to establish diplomatic relations between the two nations and open the border to trade. Final agreement is pending the ratification of the protocols by each country’s parliament. As you note, these protocols also called for the formation of a commission to study the Armenian Genocide.
I certainly appreciate the concerns that you raise in your letter and believe that it is important that the specifics issues you raise about the historical commission are taken into consideration. I recently wrote to Secretary Clinton to let her know about the concerns I have heard from my constituents on this issue, and included a sample copy of letters I have received. I also asked her to meet with the Armenian American community to discuss these issues. The full text of my letter to Hilary Clinton is below.
Thank you once again for contacting me, and I hope you will continue to keep in touch. My best wishes to you.
Sincerely,
HARRY REID
United States Senator
Nevada
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Oct. 20, 2009
The Honorable Hillary Clinton
Secretary of State
Department of State
22001 C Street, NW
Room 7226
Washington, D.C. 20520
Dear Secretary Clinton:
I am writing about the recent agreement to establish normal diplomatic relations between Turkey and Armenia. I know you have personally been involved in the negotiation of this agreement and
appreciate your attention on the issues I am raising today.
I am sure you are aware that this agreement has raised concerns in the Armenian community inside the United States. I have received many letters from Nevadans who do not support the creation of an international commission to examine the historical record on the genocide and who believe that the agreements are unfair to Armenia (I have included a sample letter below). Given the serious nature of the community’s concerns, I felt it was important to raise them directly with you. The commission is particularly sensitive to the Armenian American community since the Armenian Genocide has never been recognized by Turkey.
I would also respectfully suggest that you meet directly with Armenian American groups so they have an opportunity to share their views with you. Thank you again for your consideration of this request and your interest in this important national security issue.
Sincerely,
Harry Reid
United States Senator
I hope the USA would not regret for supporting the Armenia-Turkey Protocols so ardently. The most obvious thing in Turkey-Armenia relations is that both sides are trying to trick the United States. jeshmarid@yahoo.com
This is all very nice, but it would be even better if Senator Reid were to criticize both President Obama for breaking his campaign promise to Armenians on the matter of genocide acknowledgment and Hillary Clinton for being a hypocrite – that is, supporting the Genocide resolution when she was a senator but playing games with it now as Secretary of State.
I have always said that Hillary Clinton does not have a principled bone in her entire body. It’s all me-me-me.
Democrats with their elected President
Never betrayed us
They betrayed them selves—
They said something
And did something else.
Any decent man in any race
Will not accept… thus.
From our long experience
They will all regret—
To become to term
With dishonest gene
Cannot turn to be honest
Whatever decades past
Thems will stay the same.
Let us wait and see!
We waited almost a one century.
More few years, not difficult to wait,
To assess, who is a betrayer
And who is a trustworthy.
November 3, 2009
Harry Reid, Senator, United States of America
Thank you for your interest, concern and feelings for a people who have lost our families to the Turkish Genocide of the Armenian nation. When I was attempting to create our family tree to pass on to my children I could barely find the names… another painful moment since I was not able to go beyond the year 1915, except to know that my grandmother was Manooshag and my grandfather was Tomas on my father’s side, my mother’s side my grandmother’s name was Ovsanna and my grandfather was Taniel from Dikranagerd and Bursa… all well educated and cultured people, I was told… I had to tell my children to explain to their teachers that we had suffered a Genocide, unrepented to this day, of the Armenian nation and our tree stopped at 1915.
As for the U.S. State Department/Hilary Clinton, is well aware that we, decendants of the survivors, still pursue (as is world known) the guilty perpetrators… the Ottomans in their vile elimination of an ancient people on their own lands of nearly 4,000 years and as well, Armenian culture. And, the world watches as the subsequent Turkish leaders, still in denials – as evidenced even today – in their stance and determined pursuit of ‘crushing’ the Armenian nation of today…
Hilary Clinton, U.S. State Deparment, are well aware of the efforts of the American Armenians – especially when it is time to for us to vote. As you have noted, we too noticed, that our voice was not included when ‘protocols’ and ‘roadmaps’ were established for the fledgling nation of Armenia by the
Turks – ince our voices shall have made a great difference in the results. This Hilary Clinton and Barack Obama, the president of the United States of America knew. Politics, sadly, takes over – yet the reality is that Morality is being addressed. Genocides – for wherever, whenever, however… innocent lives are subjected to mans’ inhumanity to man – in vilest, sickest forms – is allowed to
continue, allowed in dishonest denials, we all of us, have failed as civilized humans. After a century of Genocides – still, in the 21st century a Darfur, and yet who, where, when, the next Genocide?
Manooshag