“In a forcefully worded letter, Armenian Genocide Resolution lead sponsor, Congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA), urged President Barack Obama to stand by his record as a U.S. Senator and his pledges as a Presidential candidate to properly recognize the Armenian Genocide,” Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) website reads.

“We join with Armenian Americans from across the country in thanking Congressman Schiff for his leadership in calling upon President Obama to keep his pledge to recognize the Armenian Genocide,” said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian.

Noting that President Obama did not properly recognize the Armenian Genocide in his 2009 April 24th statement because of “possible reconciliation between Armenia and Turkey,” Rep. Schiff pointed out that “this misapprehended the nature of reconciliation, which can never find a sound basis in the denial of genocide, or silence when confronted by denial.” He went on to argue that “Linking the process of the protocols to the Armenian Genocide resolution actually encourages Turkey to not ratify them, since the Turks know that prolonging the process serves to provide opponents of the resolution with a continuing excuse to delay recognition of the Armenian Genocide.”

This week, 14 Senators issued a similar statement, spearheaded by Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA), urging President Obama to properly characterize the Armenian Genocide in his annual statement. At the Capitol Hill Armenian Genocide Observance on April 21st, over 20 Members of the U.S. House discussed the importance of full and formal U.S. affirmation of this crime, source says.

RA Ambassador to U.S., Tatoul Markarian, in his address to the gathering, stressed that continued progress toward universal international recognition of the Armenian Genocide represented an important contribution to prospects for improved Turkey-Armenia relations. Similarly, the Republic of Nagorno Karabagh's Representative, Robert Avetisyan, shared his government's full support for U.S. and worldwide condemnation of the Armenian Genocide, ANCA reads.

The annual Armenian Genocide Observance, organized by the Congressional Armenian Caucus with the support of Armenian American organizations, was hosted by Caucus Co-Chairs Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Mark Kirk (R-IL). Opening prayers were offered by His Eminence Oshagan Choloyan, article concludes.