New U.S. Ambassador to follow Obama’s example
U.S. Ambassador to Armenia candidate John Heffern has expressed his view on the 1915 Armenian Genocide.
The candidate followed the U.S. President's example and refused to call the massacres of 1.5 million Armenians in the Ottoman Empire a "genocide".
John Heffern expressed his view on the 1915 Genocide when the senators, especially Robert Menendez asked him questions. Menendez has made serious efforts for the adoption of resolutions on Armenian Genocide recognition in the U.S. Senate.
"I agree with your claims that 1.5 million Armenians were killed in the Ottoman Empire in 1915, that they were mass killings, that there was ethnic cleansing and forceful deportations of Armenians, but calling it genocide is a political decision and step. The U.S. President has recognized and condemned the terrible events that took place in the Ottoman Empire. In his April 24 address, Obama publicly called the mass killings one of the most evil, horrible acts of the 20th century," said Heffern, mentioning that calling those events "genocide" is a political decision.
In response to senators' questions, John Heffern also touched upon the normalization of Armenian-Turkish relations and noted that the fact of the Armenian Genocide plays a role here. "The U.S. is ready to support efforts for full-fledged, just and clear recognition of the historical facts between Armenia and Turkey."
After asking John Heffern questions, Senator Robert Menendez noted that it is hard to send the diplomat to Armenia, knowing that he is incapable of using the term "genocide".
"We see that this is difficult. On the one hand, we have complete information about what happened from American diplomats' notes, a convention affirmed by the United States and sufficient knowledge of the history. On the other hand, we refuse to recognize the Armenian Genocide," noted Menendez.
