Armenian-Americans send a message to President Obama

Published: Friday January 23, 2009

In perhaps the most memorable and forceful phrase of his inaugural address, President Barack Obama said on January 20: "We reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals."

In so saying, the president repudiated torture, indefinite detention, and other violations of Americans laws and ideals as the wrong way to go about making the United States safer.

The guiding principle set forth by the president applies equally to the argument that America's safety requires it to remain silent about the Armenian Genocide - a specious argument put forth by Turkey and its lobbyists.

The importance of speaking about the Armenian Genocide in a forthright and unambiguous manner was one of the issues raised in a letter, delivered to Mr. Obama's office on January 17, "on behalf of some two million Americans of Armenian heritage."

Major Armenian-American advocacy, civic, religious, charitable, and educational organizations warmly welcomed the election and inauguration of President Obama and set forth their intention to work with him and his administration "to end the cycle of genocide, strengthen U.S.-Armenia relations, contribute to Armenia's economic growth, and work toward a fair and sustainable regional peace." (See full text and list of signatories.)

The letter thus quite rightly emphasizes that Armenian-Americans hope to work with the administration on a whole range of issues. It goes on to show some of the ways in which these issues correspond to the president's broader agenda.

An important element of President Obama's agenda is to end the genocide in Darfur. The letter reiterates the support of Armenian-Americans for this vital - and urgent - mission.

The letter does not make the mistake of ignoring the important role Turkey is expected to play as a U.S. ally and a stage from which the United States can reach out to the Moslem world. Rather, the letter notes, "The inevitable consequence of Turkey's refusal to acknowledge this crime has been its inability to adapt to the changing realities in the region. Rather than being a factor for peace, Turkey has actively contributed to increased tension in the South Caucasus."

To reduce tension in the region and bring about a lasting peace, the letter stresses "direct dialogue," another of the key concepts espoused by the president. The letter encourages "elimination of all artificial barriers to U.S.-Nagorno Karabagh contacts, communication, and other means of increasing our level of mutual understanding."

The letter places "a very high priority on U.S. leadership in lifting the Turkish and Azerbaijani economic blockades of Armenia and in ending the exclusion of Armenia and Nagorno Karabagh from regional commercial and infrastructure projects."

In the coming days, as the Obama administration's foreign-policy team undertakes to review and reshape U.S. policy, it is important that they recognize that the Armenian-American community is united in seeking resolutions to the major issues facing Armenia and Armenians.