President Biden Rejects Turkey's Gag-Rule, Recognizes Armenian Genocide

WASHINGTON, April 24, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- President Joseph Biden officially recognized the Armenian Genocide, today, rejecting the longest-lasting foreign gag-rule in American history and dealing a major setback to Turkey's century-long obstruction of justice for this crime, a move welcomed by the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

In joining with the U.S. Senate and House, 49 U.S. states, and a dozen NATO allies, President Biden has ended a century-long era of American complicity in Turkey's denials.

"President Biden's principled stand on the Armenian Genocide today – powerfully overriding Ankara's foreign veto against honest American remembrance of this crime - pivots America toward the justice deserved and the security required for the future of the Armenian nation – a landlocked, blockaded, genocide-survivor state," said ANCA Chairman Raffi Hamparian.  "The ANCA looks forward to working with the Biden Administration to translate this statement into a fundamental reset in U.S. policy toward the region – one that prioritizes the survival of Artsakh, the security of Armenia, and a fair and lasting regional peace based upon a just resolution of the Armenian Genocide," said Hamparian.

Armenian Genocide recognition is particularly impactful today, in the wake of Turkey and Azerbaijan's unprovoked, genocidal attacks against Armenia and Artsakh (Nagorno Karabakh) last fall, that resulted in a regional humanitarian disaster including the displacement of over 100,000 Armenians from their homes, the ongoing Azerbaijani imprisonment of over 200 Armenian POWS, and Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev's threats of renewed Azerbaijani aggression against Armenia – made as recently as this week.

President Biden's recognition of the genocide pivots the U.S. toward a sustained policy that meaningfully and materially supports Artsakh's survival and Armenia's security, while forcefully challenging Turkey and Azerbaijan's anti-Armenian aggression. Alongside growing global condemnation of this crime, U.S. recognition also isolates Turkey and undermines its denials, increasing pressure upon Ankara to end its campaign of lies, cease its obstruction of justice, and open the door to a truthful, just, and comprehensive resolution of present-day Turkey's legal, moral, political , and territorial responsibilities for this still unpunished crime.

Recognition of the Armenian Genocide honors the memory and dignity of its victims and survivors, while – more broadly – rejecting the use of human rights as a bargaining chip. In elevating genocide and atrocity prevention to the level of moral and political imperative, this recognition honors all victims of the scourge of genocides past and present – making future atrocities less likely.

Editor's Note: Armenian National Committee of America Executive Director Aram Hamparian is available for comment and interviews. For more information, please contact Elizabeth Chouldjian at [email protected] or call 202-775-1918 / 703-585-8254 cell.

Additional information and background on the Armenian Genocide and U.S. affirmation of this crime is available at anca.org/genocide.  

[email protected] | anca.org/facebook | @anca_dc

Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918
Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Armenian National Committee of America

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