Recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the US State of Indiana will not directly affect the US President’s stance on the issue, says Giro Manoyan, Head of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation Bureau’s Hay Dat and Political Affairs Office.
“According to the US Constitution, the country’s foreign policy is determined by the President. There is a court decision in the US that recognition of the Armenian Genocide is a foreign policy affair. Therefore, it’s up to the President to make a decision. This does not mean, however, that other authorities cannot take decisions on the Armenian Genocide,” Manoyan said in an interview with Public Radio of Armenia.
He believes, however, that the recognition will establish a generally favorable atmosphere. “At least two resolutions on Armenian Genocide recognition have been submitted to the US House of Representatives at different times. There is another resolution pending in the House today. “All of this will create a favorable atmosphere, but will not directly lead to recognition by the President,” Giro Manoyan said.
According to him, the Armenian lobby in the US will keep working in two directions – to press for the passage of a resolution at the House of Representatives and to build relations with the executive authorities, to try to persuade that recognition is in the interest of the United States.
“The fact that Turkey is influencing the US President’s stance on the Armenian Genocide issue should be disgraceful. This is true not only for the incumbent, but also all previous Presidents besides Ronald Reagan, who used the term “genocide” in one of his April 24 messages,” he said.
What will be the effect of the Armenian Genocide recognition by the US President? According to Giro Manoyan, all these acknowledgements by US States or by different countries are a pressure on Turkey. Recognition by the US President will also be a pressure on Turkey. The main objective is to force recognition by Turkey itself ” he said.
Manoyan added that even those who deny the Armenian Genocide in Turkey, acknowledge that all these recognition affect their society, and will finally affect the authorities, as well.
Indiana Governor Eric J. Holcomb issued a powerful proclamation memorializing the Ottoman Turkish Empire’s centrally-planned and executed annihilation of close to three million Armenians, Greeks, Assyrians, and Syriacs, making the Hoosier State the 48th U.S. state to properly recognize and condemn the Armenian Genocide
