PRESS RELEASE
Armenian Assembly of Armenia
December 11, 2009
Contact: Press Department
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (202) 393-3434
ASSEMBLY WELCOMES SENATOR BOXER’S SUPPORT OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
RESOLUTION
Washington, DC – Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), a senior member of the
Senate Foreign Relations Committee and Chair of its Subcommittee on
International Operations and Organizations, Human Rights, Democracy, and
Global Women’s Issues, joined her colleagues yesterday in cosponsoring
S. Res. 316, the Armenian Genocide resolution, reported the Armenian
Assembly of America (Assembly).
Senator Boxer’s cosponsorship is timely given Turkish Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s statement on the Charlie Rose television program
this week while in the Washington, DC, that "I can say very clearly that
we do not accept genocide. This is completely a lie."
"We welcome Senator Boxer’s continued commitment in combating genocide
denial through U.S. reaffirmation of the Armenian Genocide," stated
Armenian Assembly Executive Director Bryan Ardouny. "In the face of
continued denial of this great crime against humanity, it is incumbent
upon us and all people of goodwill to do everything in our power to put
an end to this vicious cycle," added Ardouny.
Introduced by Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) in October of this year, S.
Res. 316 reaffirms the incontestable fact of the Armenian Genocide and
has also garnered the support of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid
(D-NV). In addition, while not an official cosponsor, former
Presidential hopeful, Senator John McCain (R-AZ) in a recent interview
publicly affirmed the Armenian Genocide.
S.Res. 316 has been referred to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee
and is pending further action. S.Res. 316 mirrors its counterpart in the
House of Representatives, H.Res. 252, which was introduced by
Congressmen Adam Schiff (D-CA) and George Radanovich (R-CA), along with
Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Mark Kirk
(R-IL).
Established in 1972, the Armenian Assembly of America is the largest
Washington-based nationwide organization promoting public understanding
and awareness of Armenian issues. The Assembly is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt
membership organization.