Despite the fact that the US House of Representatives voted with an overwhelming majority and the US Senate voted unanimously to recognize the Armenian Genocide last year, US President Donald Trump once again used the term “Medz Yeghern” in his speech on April 24th.
As in the past, official Ankara responded to the US President’s speech. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Turkey stated that the US President’s speech was “based on the subjective narrative fictionalized by Armenians” and that the “distortion of history for domestic political considerations can never be accepted.” The statement also said that the offer to establish a Joint Historical Commission to examine the events of 1915. “Turkey is still behind its proposal to establish a Joint Historical Commission to shed light on all aspects of the events that took place 104 years ago. Radical Armenians, who want to ensure their responsibilities in the events of 1915 are overlooked, do not show the courage to respond positively to this proposal.”
Former Vice President of the United States and Democratic Party candidate in the US presidential elections, Joe Biden, promised to recognize the Armenian Genocide if he is to be elected president and to make human rights the main priority of his administration.
French President Emmanuel Macron wrote a letter to President Armen Sarkissian on the 105th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, stating that France remembers the slaughter of 600 Armenian intellectuals on April 24th, leading to the Armenian Genocide.
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However, Armenia’s strategic ally, Russia, was silent this year. In 2015 at the 100th-anniversary commemoration at Tsitsernakaberd, Russian President Vladimir Putin said, “One and a half million people were killed and over 600,000 were deported. The events of 1915 shocked the whole world. Millions of people sought refuge in Russia and were saved. Russian diplomacy allowed the suffering of the Armenian people to achieve worldwide recognition. Russia, France, and Great Britain considered this to be a crime against humanity.” But this year, Putin was not with Armenians on April 24th.
Emma Gabrielyan
“Aravot” daily
28.04.2020
