White House National Security Council officials informed the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) that US President Obama will refrain from properly commemorating the Armenian Genocide, as he had promised to do as a candidate, in his eighth and final “Armenian Remembrance Day” statement, set to be released.
“It seems President Obama will end his tenure as he began it, caving in to pressure from Turkey and betraying his commitment to speak honestly about the Armenian Genocide,” said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian, who met with the officials. “President Obama’s unwillingness to reject Turkey’s gag-rule on the Armenian Genocide or otherwise confront the growing regional wave of anti-Armenian aggression represents something far worse than simply a betrayal of his own promise.
“His reckless retreat from America’s anti-genocide commitments emboldens Erdogan and Aliyev to escalate their hostility, raising the very real risk of large-scale anti-Armenian atrocities.”
To note, however, then US President Ronald Reagan had reaffirmed the Armenian Genocide in 1981. Also, the US House of Representatives had adopted legislation on the Armenian Genocide in 1975, 1984 and 1996.