Your trusted source

The Armenian Assembly of America (Assembly) gratefully welcomed the statement by David Harris, Executive Director of the American Jewish Committee (AJC), calling on Turkey to "address the realities" of the Armenian Genocide, reported the Assembly.

"In a month of solemn remembrance of the atrocities of the last century - from the 20th anniversary of the start of the Rwandan genocide to the annual commemoration in Israel and the United States of the Holocaust - we pause in mournful tribute to the memories of the estimated 1.5 million victims of the Meds Yeghern, the Genocide of Armenians, committed in the final years of the Ottoman Empire," the AJC statement reads in part.

"On behalf of the Armenian American community, we welcome the significant statement by David Harris and the AJC," said Assembly Board Member Van Krikorian. "This is not the first time David has publicly used the term 'Armenian Genocide' as he has not only been a friend but a principled voice for universal values for decades now. This statement is truly significant considering the timing, and reflects the painful experience shared by the Armenian and Jewish peoples in the last century, reminding us today that the failure to address genocide and its denial is to condone it. We all deeply appreciate it and look forward to the trend continuing with other groups, governments, and increasingly among Turks and their government," Krikorian remarked.

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.