Armenian Genocide

IV

114TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. RES. 154

Calling on the President to work toward equitable, constructive, stable, and durable Armenian-Turkish relations based upon the Republic of Turkeys full acknowledgment of the facts and ongoing consequences of the Arme-nian Genocide, and a fair, just, and comprehensive international resolu-tion of this crime against humanity.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

MARCH 18, 2015 Mr. DOLD (for himself, Mr. SCHIFF, Mr. VALADAO, Mr. PALLONE, Mr. SAR-

BANES, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. LOWENTHAL, Ms. CHU of California, Ms. CLARK of Massachusetts, Mr. COSTA, Mr. LAMALFA, Ms. TSONGAS, Mr. BILIRAKIS, Mrs. NAPOLITANO, Mr. SHERMAN, Mrs. CAROLYN B. MALO-NEY of New York, Ms. MENG, Mr. CICILLINE, Mr. VAN HOLLEN, Mr. LEVIN, Mr. LIPINSKI, Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ of California, Mr. KEN-NEDY, Ms. SPEIER, Mr. NUNES, Mr. DENHAM, Ms. LINDA T. SANCHEZ of California, Mr. PERLMUTTER, Ms. BASS, Ms. LOFGREN, Mr. GAR-RETT, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Ms. TITUS, Mr. CARDENAS, Ms. ESHOO, Mr. LANGEVIN, Mr. POLIS, Mr. TROTT, Ms. LEE, Mr. ISRAEL, Mr. PETER-SON, Mrs. LOWEY, Mr. HONDA, and Mr. CAPUANO) submitted the fol-lowing resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Af-fairs

RESOLUTION Calling on the President to work toward equitable, construc-

tive, stable, and durable Armenian-Turkish relations based upon the Republic of Turkeys full acknowledg-ment of the facts and ongoing consequences of the Arme-nian Genocide, and a fair, just, and comprehensive inter-national resolution of this crime against humanity.

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HRES 154 IH

Whereas the Obama Administration has, since early 2009, sought to improve Armenian-Turkish relations through diplomatic efforts to lift the Republic of Turkeys block-ade of Armenia and facilitate an end to Ankaras refusal to establish diplomatic relations with Yerevan;

Whereas at the start of this process, President Barack Obama had, on April 6, 2009, voiced the United States Governments expectation that Armenia-Turkey dialogue would bear fruit very quickly, but that, since then, the Obama Administration has commended Armenias par-ticipation in this dialogue while holding Turkey largely responsible for the lack of results from this process, with the Secretary of State noting, on June 4, 2012, that, on this matter, the ball remains in Turkeys court.;

Whereas on April 24, 2013, President Barack Obama stated, A full, frank, and just acknowledgment of the facts is in all of our interests. Nations grow stronger by acknowl-edging and reckoning with painful elements of the past, thereby building a foundation for a more just and toler-ant future.;

Whereas the Republic of Turkey, rather than acknowledging and reckoning with painful elements of the past, has es-calated its international campaign of Armenian Genocide denial, maintained its blockade of Armenia, and increased its pressure on the small but growing Turkish civil soci-ety movement acknowledging the Armenian Genocide and seeking justice for this systematic campaign of destruc-tion of millions of Armenians, Greeks, Assyrians, Pontians, Syriacs, and other Christians upon their bib-lical-era homelands;

Whereas the United States is on record as having officially recognized the Armenian Genocide, in the United States


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Governments May 28, 1951, written statement to the International Court of Justice regarding the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Geno-cide, through President Ronald Reagans April 22, 1981, Proclamation No. 4838, and by Congressional legislation, including House Joint Resolution 148 adopted on April 8, 1975, and House Joint Resolution 247 adopted on September 10, 1984;

Whereas even prior to the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, the United States has a record of having sought to justly and constructively address the consequences of the Ottoman Empires inten-tional destruction of the Armenian people, including through Senate Concurrent Resolution 12 adopted on February 9, 1916, Senate Resolution 359 adopted on May 11, 1920, and President Woodrow Wilsons Decision of the President of the United States of America Re-specting the Frontier between Turkey and Armenia, Ac-cess for Armenia to the Sea, and the Demilitarization of Turkish Territory Adjacent to the Armenian Frontier, dated November 22, 1920;

Whereas President Barack Obama entered office having stat-ed his firmly held conviction that the Armenian Geno-cide is not an allegation, a personal opinion, or a point of view, but rather a widely documented fact supported by an overwhelming body of historical evidence, affirmed his record of calling for Turkeys acknowledgment of the Armenian Genocide, and pledged that as President I will recognize the Armenian Genocide; and

Whereas the United States national interests in the establish-ment of equitable, constructive, stable, and durable rela-tions between Armenians and Turks cannot be meaning-


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fully advanced by circumventing or otherwise seeking to avoid materially addressing the central political, legal, se-curity, and moral issue between these two nations, Tur-keys denial of truth and justice for the Armenian Geno-cide: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the House of Representatives calls on 1

the President to work toward equitable, constructive, sta-2

ble, and durable Armenian-Turkish relations based upon 3

the Republic of Turkeys full acknowledgment of the facts 4

and ongoing consequences of the Armenian Genocide, and 5

a fair, just, and comprehensive international resolution of 6

this crime against humanity. 7


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Armenian Genocide

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