WASHINGTON—Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, in response earlier today to a series of questions during her testimony before Congress, broke with the Department of State’s long-standing pattern of aggressively opposing legislation recognizing the Armenian Genocide, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).
During her testimony before the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Foreign Operations, Congressional Armenian Caucus co-chair Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) noted Clinton’s previous support for Armenian Genocide legislation in the Senate. Referring to the impending Committee vote on a similar resolution, H.Res.252, Kirk stated: “I hope we do that, and I hope the House of Representatives does that, and I hope you let that happen.”
Clinton responded, citing the ongoing Turkey-Armenia protocols discussion and continued efforts by the administration to urge their ratification, but remained silent on the resolution. In past years, previous administrations, both Democratic and Republican, have used every opportunity to seek to defeat such legislation.
Armenian Genocide Resolution lead sponsor Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), during his questioning, stated, “I don’t think the prospect of reconciliation, as much as I would like it to happen, should be used as a reason not to recognize the undeniable fact of the Armenian Genocide.” He urged, “the administration’s support on the legislation and at a minimum certainly not to get involved in opposing the legislation.”
Clinton offered her support for the protocols, but, once again, did not attack the Armenian Genocide Resolution in response to questions during an earlier hearing before the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
“Secretary Clinton’s remarks represent the third time in just the past few weeks that a senior Obama Administration official—in response to pointed questions about the Armenian Genocide Resolution—has chosen not to voice any opposition to the adoption of this genocide-prevention measure,” said ANCA executive director Aram Hamparian. “The current administration’s conduct, at least to date, stands in stark contrast to past administrations—both Democratic and Republican—that used every opportunity to score points with Ankara by attacking the broad, bi-partisan congressional majority that has long existed in support of U.S. condemnation and commemoration of the Armenian Genocide.”
Clinton appeared before both Committees to outline the fiscal year 2011 State Department foreign aid priorities. Foreign Affairs Committee member Brad Sherman (D-Calif.) praised the Obama Administration for increasing its assistance request for Armenia in 2011, but argued that “Congress should enhance that.” He noted that while the Obama Administration had maintained parity in Foreign Military Financing assistance between Armenia and Azerbaijan, military training assistance was not balanced. He also called for a “specific aid request for Nagorno-Karabagh.”
Clinton will have an opportunity to respond to his questions in writing.
“We would like to thank Representatives Kirk, Schiff, and Sherman for speaking out about Armenia foreign aid priorities and once again urging passage of the Armenian Genocide Resolution,” said Hamparian. “With the Foreign Affairs Committee set to vote on H.Res.252 and the foreign aid process in full gear, we are actively reaching out to our community expand our engagement with legislators from across the country.”
House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman Howard Berman (D-Calif.) has scheduled a vote on the Armenian Genocide Resolution (H.Res.252) on March 4. Over 137 House Members have co-sponsored this measure, spearheaded by Representatives Schiff, George Radanovich (R-Calif.), and Congressional Armenian Caucus co-chairs Frank Pallone (D-N.J.) and Mark Kirk (R-Ill.). A similar measure in the Senate (S.Res.316), led by Senators Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) and John Ensign (R-Nev.) has 13 co-sponsors.
Before jumping to any unsubstantiated conclusions let’s closely examine facts. Just because
Clinton and her team of traditionally backstabbing democrats (shame on them and their
predescessors for not showing the courage to recognize the truth of the genocide)
aren’t “aggressively opposing legislation recognizing the Armenian Genocide” doesn’t
Necessarily mean their for it either. In my opinion this is a clear indication of
Our community’s strength that each Armenian American voter has helped earn through their
Work to advance our cause on capital hill.
Here we go getting our hopes up again. Could we really expect the administration to do things exactly the same way this year? Of course not. They had to change things up a bit with all the eyeballs on them. But there is still plenty of time for them to pick from the usual panoply of excuses to stick with Turkey and abandon the Armenians and that’s exactly what they will do. Enough dreaming.
These resolutions are a waste of time and resources, we need to put our efforts into educating Turks. Thats easier said than done, but its more probable than the passage of the resolution.
Hillary Clinton doesn’t have a principled bone in her entire body.
As there has never been stability in politics, pessimistic views about the current administration may prove to be wrong… Let’s wait to see what happens on March 4th!
This is merely AIPAC sending a warning message to Turkey via their obedient servant Hillary. From Ergenekon to Iranian sanctions and attitude towards Gaza conflict, Israelis are pissed at Turkey and are using the Genocide resolution as ploy.
ITS MID TERM ELECTION STUPID!!!!!
They know Armenians are mad at this administration, the mid-term election is coming up and they will pretend that there is no opposition from the state and administration
What a bunch of Wiesels !!!
We must vote every politicians out of the senate and congress. DONT BE FOOLED AGAIN!
This is about easy oil routes out of the Caspian. When Russia invaded Georgia, Armenia became more important. This has never been about recognizing the Genocide or any justice for it. Armenians are not that politically strong to make the Armenian Genocide somehow all of a sudden “right for America”. The lesson of the Holocaust are however but not the Armenian Genocide.
Why are you all jumping on S of S Clinton’s back all of a sudden? Didn’t she support S. Res. 106 when she was in the Senate?! All you’re proving here is that, as usual, dashnaks are so fickle that they’ll abandon someone and stab them in the back at a moments notice (sound familiar?) as they hop onto someone else’s bandwagon! How do you all say it?…Ah yes, the end justifies the means! BTW Frieda, I believe that the word that you’re looking for is spelled “W E A S E L S”.
If the Genocide Resolutions both in the House & Senate don’t get passed this year, I will lose my hope in future Congressman & Senators for putting this well documented Armenian Genocide to one side just because of Turkish pressure and the help the Jewish Lobby has given to Turkey. Thirty (30) countries around the world have recognized this 1st Genocide of the 20th century and is documented in the Turkish Archives on the trials of those Turks whom were found guilty after the 1st World War. They were all found guilty, which included Talaat Pasha, Jemal Pasha, & Djvit Bey & hundreds of others. What kind of a country do we live in this supposedly free Democracy that denies the truth of what happened to the dissapearance of the 4 thousand year old Armenian People from their historic homeland, now in ruins done by the Turks. Thousands of their churches destroyed, no trace of their cemeterias, their people massacred or moslemized & dispersed to the four corners of the world. The Turks are no longer Turks, they have blood of Armenians, Greeks, Assyrians, Nestorians, Kurds, Bulgarians, Georgians, etc. thru forcible assimilation down thru the centuries. Why doesn’t the world nations look at the facts and take action against the evil Turk.
For the first time, the administration is not actively opposing Armenian genocide recognition. Yes, they may not be jumping up and down supporting it (which would be against American interests), but everyone recognizes that their silence and non-opposition is a loud and clear endorsement. Hurray for the present Administration! Also, hurray for Jewish Senators and Congressmen like Joe Lieberman of Connecticut, Barbara Boxer of California, and resolution co-sponsor Adam Schiff of California, all staunch supporters of the Resolution. They are doing so despite the possibly negative implications for their people now living in Turkey and Israel. Let’s hope, if the resolution passes, that the Turks don’t take it out on the tiny numbers of Jews in the middle east and Turkey.
Do not believe it YES IT IS DIRTY POLITICS they promise what you want BUT Be Careful ………