OBAMA DID MAXIMUM WHAT US PRESIDENT COULD DO
The President of the United States Barack Obama made yesterday his April 24 statement commemorating the victims of the Armenian Genocide. Barack Obama avoided saying “genocide” in his statement and used “Meds Yeghern” the Armenian equivalent twice.
It is for sure that the statement will be much discussed both in Armenia and the USA, as well as by the Armenian communities abroad and Turkey. The key point of those discussions is going to be the question why the U.S. President, who used “genocide” to describe those events and promised during his electoral campaign to do so, has not kept his promise. What are the reasons to it?
We think that the Armenian-Turkish negotiating processes and the “road map” statement made on 22 April are not deep analysis to the point. To think carefully quite different reality becomes obvious.
Still, we need to think, what the reason was that a politician working for so many years with the Armenian community of America avoided to keep his promise. The reason has not been changed regarding the other U.S. Presidents, too. It has been much talked about and the President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan reminded about it in his interview given to Russia Today TV station: “The US Congress Foreign Affairs Committee was hearing the case and they do it on regular basis discussing the issue of the Armenian genocide – it is almost unanimous recognition that there was genocide. But some of the congressmen say: “Yes, there has been genocide, and the US has to recognize that reality”. And the others say: “Yes, it has taken place, but now it is not in the national interests of the US to recognize it.” The United States will recognize the Armenian Genocide when it matches their own interests. Note that the genocide is an issue for America and Europe to give definite direction to the relations with Turkey. Hence, neither Obama nor another U.S. President would use “genocide” if it does not correspond to the interests of the American nation.
Regarding Obama’s electoral promise, irrespective of the sensitive coloring with “genocide” word, Obama’s record is a positive one. If before the U.S. Presidents used “Armenian massacre” or “the greatest crime of the 20th century”, Obama used “Medz Eghern” twice in his speech. This means that the will to name the things with their names Obama has kept and he is conscious of the responsibility he has towards the Armenians.
Concluding we’d like to pay attention on what we meant by “American interest” and to explain the meaning of the American-Turkish relations. First, Turkey is an important partner of the U.S. in NATO. Currently the role of Turkey has been multiplied by its new position in Iraq and Afghanistan. And the second, the methods to press on Turkey. Turkey has the greatest role in the region, it has the greatest resources. In this respect America is focused on the tools to keep Ankara’s behavior under control and visible.
Unfortunately, the humanity is not so much humane to give preference to the problems of mankind instead of their state, national or even personal interests; otherwise the everlasting genocide in Darfur would be stopped long earlier.