WASHINGTON—Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) executive director Aram Hamparian made the following statement following Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s press conference with Armenian Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandyan held earlier today in Yerevan, Armenia.
“We were disappointed to see Secretary Clinton—in Baku and again in Yerevan—repeat the State Department’s generic call on all parties to refrain from the use of force, when it has been Baku alone that has both threatened and acted upon its warnings of renewed war. This type of diplomatic language may, at least superficially, appear evenhanded, but, in terms of U.S. interests in regional stability, is actually counter-productive, in that it ignores and even encourages continued Azerbaijani aggression.”
“Inspired by our American Independence Day, we had hoped that Secretary Clinton would issue an open call for a lasting resolution of the Nagorno-Karabagh conflict based on the fundamental values of democracy and self-determination. After all, if the founding father were following the State Department’s logic in 1776, the U.S. would still be a British colony.”
For a timeline of Azerbaijani war rhetoric and aggression against Karabagh since 2007, visit http://www.anca.org/assets/pdf/misc/Azeri_war_timeline_0610.pdf.
Earlier on July 4, Clinton met with Armenian President Serge Sarkisian and Foreign Minister Nalbandyan, and is scheduled to remain in Armenia until the morning of July 5, when she will meet with representatives of media and organizations promoting civil society.
It is unclear whether Clinton will visit the Armenian Genocide Memorial Monument. Hamparian explained, “If the Secretary does, in fact, visit the Armenian Genocide Memorial, as she should, her presence in this sacred place will hold meaning for Armenians worldwide to the extent that it marks a real break from Washington’s bankrupt policy of complicity in Turkey’s denials. Alternatively, if the Secretary, during her visit to the memorial, does not reverse U.S. policy by fully recognizing the Armenian Genocide, this episode will, sadly, be seen as yet another in a long line of actions—each meaningful in their own right, but ultimately all half-measures—designed to defer proper U.S. condemnation of this crime against humanity.”
Did you notice how the press release was careful to describe Secretary Clinton’s visit tthe Genocide Memorial as a “private visit”. Once again trying so hard not to upset anyone, but at the same time pelasing no one. Once again paying respect, but separating herself from her governmental role. Another opportunity lost by our government to stand next to the truth. When will our foreign policy experts begin to realize that standing by the truth IS in the interests of the U.S.
Saying one thing as a senator and presidential candidate, and doing a divergently different thing as a state secretary. What a **** in a classical sense of the word!
What she should have really discussed was the human right abuses in Azerbadeljan and how the US is going to be percieved as supporting another dictatorship in order to help out BP and the British. Shame on her for missing another opportunity.