By Anna Ghazaryan

Armenian News-NEWS.am presents an exclusive interview with U.S. Congressman, longtime supporter of the Armenian community Adam Schiff.

Mr. Schiff, you together with other Members of the House of Representatives introduced the Armenian Genocide Truth and Justice Resolution. Do you expect that it will be approved this year when the Armenians mark Centennial of the Armenian Genocide?

My colleagues and I feel a great urgency to pass the Genocide Truth and Justice Resolution. In past years, though we’ve had success moving it through the Foreign Affairs Committee, the House leadership has been unwilling to bring it to the floor for a vote. I hope that this year will be different, and I will be working with our supporters to press the case that in the face of denial we have a moral obligation to speak the truth about the Armenian Genocide and remember the 1.5 million who were lost. I am confident that with our continued efforts and the advocacy of so many Armenian-Americans and others around the country, it’s a matter of when, not if, the Congress will recognize the Armenian Genocide.

The U.S. government has not yet named the officials who are expected to come to Yerevan for commemoration events on April 24. What do you think whether we can expect high level representatives from Washington ?

I hope the White House sends a high level delegation to Yerevan and I’ve impressed on them the importance that the United States is well represented at commemoration events. In addition to sending high level officials to Yerevan, I have urged the Administration to follow through on the promise to recognize the Genocide. There’s no better time to do so than in the 100th Anniversary year.

You have been promoting recognition of the Armenian Genocide for many years. What does prevent the U.S. government from recognizing the Armenian Genocide? Is it because of relations with Turkey or there is other factor making acknowledgment of Genocide a difficult task?

My experience has been that whenever we’re considering taking up a resolution recognizing the Genocide, there’s always a new rationale from the Turkish lobby why the time is not right. I simply reject the idea that we should shy away from speaking the truth about the Genocide, and I also reject the idea that Turkey should possess a veto on what the U.S. Congress does and does not do. By shirking from speaking the word Genocide in reference to the Armenian Genocide we lose our moral authority against present day Genocides, whether they occur in Darfur or Rwanda or elsewhere.

What is your opinion of Turkey's intention to mark the 100th anniversary of the Battle of Gallipoli on April 24, the day when Armenians mark Armenian Genocide Centenary? Do you think it was done to overshadow events in Yerevan?

It certainly appears to be a transparent effort to distract from the events in Yerevan and around the world recognizing and remember the centennial of the Genocide. It’s not going to work. As important as it is for the United States to formally recognize and acknowledge the Genocide, healing and reconciliation in the region can only occur when Turkey wrestles with and accepts this portion of their history. The Turkish government continues to suppress discussion and debate about their history, and it’s vital that the rest of us stand up and speak loudly and clearly about the Armenian Genocide.