WASHINGTON, DC – The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) today responded formally to the State Department’s efforts, in the days leading up to the House International Relations Committee’s September 15th approval of two resolutions recognizing the Armenian Genocide, to defeat these measures and prevent official U.S. recognition of this crime against humanity.

In an October 5th letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian voiced the profound moral outrage of Armenians over the Administration’s ongoing complicity in Turkey’s campaign of genocide denial. In his two-page letter, Hachikian explained the Armenian American community’s opposition, on moral, geo-political and democratic grounds, to the State Department’s obstruction of Congressional efforts to reaffirm the Armenian Genocide. Among the main points raised by Hachikian in the letter were the following:

* Moral:

“In failing to openly and honestly recognize and commemorate the Armenian Genocide, the U.S. government dishonors the truth, betrays the historical record in our very own archives, demeans the sacrifices of the Foreign Service officers who bore witness to this crime, and compromises the President’s commitment to ‘moral clarity.'”

* Geopolitical:

“Official U.S. recognition and Turkish acknowledgement of the Armenian Genocide are not, as the Department argues, obstacles to improved Armenia-Turkey relations, but rather essential keys to reduced tensions and progress toward the normalization of relations between these two states.”

* Democratic:

“The Department’s assertion that even House floor debate on Armenian Genocide legislation would harm U.S. interests is both fundamentally undemocratic and offensive to all those elected to represent us in our national legislature. A clear bipartisan Congressional majority supports this legislation and deserves the right to act upon this matter in a fair and transparent manner. American interests are served by the open functioning of our democratic institutions, not by “gag-orders” – imposed by a foreign government and enforced by our own State Department – regarding what can and cannot be discussed by members of the U.S. Congress.”

On September 15th, after nearly three hours of debate, the House International Relations Committee, voted overwhelmingly in favor of two measures calling for proper U.S. recognition of the Armenian Genocide (H.Res.316 and H.Con.Res.195) and urging Turkey to end its decades long denial of this crime against humanity.

The full text of the ANCA letter is provided below.

Text of ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian’s October 5, 2005 letter to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice

October 5, 2005

The Honorable Condoleezza Rice
Secretary of State
Department of State
2201 C Street, NW
Washington, DC 20520

Dear Secretary Rice,

I am writing in response to the State Department’s recent letter to Chairman Henry Hyde, in which Assistant Secretary Matthew Reynolds expressed the Department’s opposition to legislation under consideration by the House International Relations Committee regarding U.S. policy on the Armenian Genocide.

Along with all Armenians – here in America, in Armenia, and around the world – I am profoundly outraged by the Department of State’s ongoing complicity in Turkey’s campaign of genocide denial. I would like to briefly share with you our objections to the Department’s position on moral, geopolitical, and democratic grounds.

Moral: In failing to openly and honestly recognize and commemorate the Armenian Genocide, the U.S. government dishonors the truth, betrays the historical record in our very own archives, demeans the sacrifices of the Foreign Service officers who bore witness to this crime, and compromises the President’s commitment to “moral clarity.”

I can only hope that, through the efforts of men and women of principle in the U.S. Congress and across our nation, we will, in short order, witness once again official U.S. recognition of this crime against humanity, bringing an end to a sad chapter in American history. When this day comes, all those involved in perpetuating this denial – particularly those who have lent their names to this disgraceful undertaking – will, I am certain, look back in shame on their words and deeds. Just as official U.S. government apologists for Apartheid in South Africa no doubt regret their actions today, so too will those who have taken part in enabling and encouraging Turkey’s hateful denial of the Armenian Genocide.

Geopolitical: Beyond the moral bankruptcy of the Administration’s position, the letter reveals a shortsighted and outdated view of how Turkey’s denial continues to impact the region. Official U.S. recognition and Turkish acknowledgement of the Armenian Genocide are not, as the Department argues, obstacles to improved Armenia-Turkey relations, but rather essential keys to reduced tensions and progress toward the normalization of relations between these two states.

Democratic: The Department’s assertion that even House floor debate on Armenian Genocide legislation would harm U.S. interests is both fundamentally undemocratic and offensive to all those elected to represent us in our national legislature. A clear bipartisan Congressional majority supports this legislation and deserves the right to act upon this matter in a fair and transparent manner. American interests are served by the open functioning of our democratic institutions, not by “gag-orders” – imposed by a foreign government and enforced by our own State Department – regarding what can and cannot be discussed by members of the U.S. Congress.

I urge you to reconsider the Department’s failed and profoundly immoral policy on the Armenian Genocide. I would, of course, be pleased to meet with you to discuss our views in greater detail.

Thank you for your consideration of this matter.

Sincerely,

[signed]
Kenneth V. Hachikian
Chairman

cc: Members of the U.S. Congress