Armenian, Assyrian and Hellenic Genocide News

Armenian Genocide Resolution a 'Vote for Moral Leadership'
by PRNewswire
Posted: Thursday, October 05, 2000 01:25 am CST

WASHINGTON, Oct 3, 2000 -- (PRNewswire) The Armenian community today applauded the action of the House International Relations Committee to send a resolution for a full House vote that would call on the President to formally recognize the deaths of millions of Armenians in Turkey between 1915-23 as genocide.

"This resolution represents a significant bipartisan effort by more than 140 cosponsors to honor the proud record of the United States in responding to the first great humanitarian crisis of the 20th century," said Ross Vartian, executive director of the Armenian Assembly of America.

"A vote for this resolution is a vote for America's continued moral leadership in a new century," Vartian said.

The committee voted overwhelmingly, 24 to 11, to send Resolution 596 to the floor for a vote in the final days of the session.

It would call on the President to acknowledge officially the voluminous U.S. record showing that during the wartime period of 1915-23, the Ottoman Empire committed genocide against the Armenian people. The resolution also affirms the conclusion reached by more than 100 Holocaust and genocide historians that the Armenian genocide is an incontestable fact of history.

House Resolution 596 is sponsored by Rep. George P. Radanovich, R-CA., and enjoys broad support among both Republicans and Democrats. House Minority Leader Richard A. Gephardt and Minority Whip David E. Bonior have asked House Speaker Dennis Hastert to bring the Armenian Genocide resolution to a floor vote.

"We are hopeful that the Speaker will schedule the resolution for a House vote in the next few days," Vartian said.

"The historical record is clear and unequivocal," he said. "We are not calling upon the House of Representatives to legislate history, but rather to use a fact of history to reaffirm America's commitment to human rights and moral leadership in a world where such leadership, sadly, is still needed today."

The Armenian Genocide Resolution is actively supported by a coalition of Armenian American organizations, including: the Apostolic Exarchate for Armenian Catholics; Armenian Assembly of America; Armenian Bar Association; Armenian Evangelical World Council; Armenian General Benevolent Union; Armenian Missionary Association of America; Armenian National Committee of America; Armenian Relief Society of North America; Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America - East; Diocese of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America - West; Knights of Vartan; Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America - East; Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church of America - West.

The Armenian Assembly of America is a nationwide, nonprofit, membership organization, which promotes public understanding and awareness of Armenian issues. ((c) 2000 PRNewswire)

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