YEREVAN, APRIL 11, ARMENPRESS. The US Senate Foreign Relations Committee adopted a resolution condemning the fact of the Armenian Genocide on April 10, the bill being represented by Committee Chairman Robert Menendez and Senator Mark Kirk. During the last 25 years this is the first case, that the Senate adopts such a resolution. Armenpress correspondent talked with Aram Ananyan - Candidate of Historical Sciences, on this matter.

-Mr. Ananyan, yesterday evening the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee adopted a resolution recognizing the Armenian Genocide. What is the difference between this resolution and those presented by now, and what role will it play in the policy of the international recognition of the Armenian Genocide?

-As to the adoption of the resolution, I would like to mention a number of important objectives. Firstly, it was adopted towards the 99^th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide. Secondly, the resolution was adopted by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee by an impressive majority of the voices. The textual analysis of the resolution displays that it contains comprehensive and multi-sided references. It fully admits the real narration of the facts about the Armenian Genocide, recognizing the massacre of about 1.5 million Armenians and the displacement of about 2 million Armenians inhabiting the Ottoman Empire. The resolution contains a historical reflection on the statement adopted by the Triple Entente on May 24, 1915, by which Turkey’s actions were condemned for the first time in the history as a crime against humanity and civilization.  A reflection is made on similar statements and legal acts adopted throughout the history of the USA, starting from 1916. Thus, the issue is observed in its historical background.

The resolution mentions and gives definite assessments to the policy of denial of the Armenian Genocide by modern Turkey, condemning similar actions. In conclusion, the resolution includes three interesting appeals, which are strong and stable suggestions leading to the international recognition of the Armenian Genocide. In particular, it is suggested that once the resolution on the recognition of the Armenian Genocide and the crimes against humanity is accepted, it should not become a matter of bargain for the US foreign policy.

Thus, at least on the level of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee it is defined, that the Armenian Genocide is a repeatedly accepted and confirmed historical fact. A hint is made on the international recognition of that crime against humanity, as well as on the importance to remove the denial, which is a part of the genocide policy of modern Turkey from the country’s political behavior, entitling the US foreign policy on this matter.

-What is your judgment about the reaction of the US State Department on the adoption of the resolution?

-The reaction of the US State Department is very interesting. In the sense, that the US State Department has always been the touchstone, upon which the resolutions recognizing the Armenian Genocide clashed. Turkey has always suppressed the US executive body, and the latter has always been much more conservative.

The April 10 statement is very encouraging. The Press Secretary of the State Department, though avoiding the word genocide, states, that the US Government accepts the narration of the historical facts, and that the comprehension and the recognition of what happened to the Armenians is a fundamental human value for many people. In the past, all the arguments of the State Department were based on the fact, that the adoption of the resolution on the Armenian Genocide might affect the non-existing Armenian-Turkish relations. This time there is no such reflection. That is, there is a hope that this time the administration will abstain to apply any pressure.

-What will be the Turkish reaction, will Turkey exert pressure this time to influence the US position?

-The fact, that Turkey will react, is beyond any doubt. But as to how far Turkey can exert its traditional pressure on the US executive body today, which used to help to pull forward its denying policy, is at this moment under question. In the current stage Turkey will need huge resources and efforts to carry out activities on this regard. Today’s Turkey is in a more adverse situation, than some time ago, as far as the theses of the country’s foreign policy, the proclaimed values and the policy it carries out differ totally from each other. Today, this is accepted also by the Turkish society. To state something and to act in a completely opposite way has become the usual style of Turkish policy, which everybody has understood. One of the reasons of the resolution adopted yesterday evening is that Turkey has disappointed everyone.

-The 100^th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide is near at hand. At present two resolutions on the recognition of the Armenian Genocide are represented at the US Congress. Do you believe that there will be any change in the matter of the recognition of the Armenian Genocide by 2015?

-Of course, making predictions is an unworthy occupation. The more we are near to the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide, the bigger the attention of the international public becomes. The crime of genocide has no expiry date. It is one of the most deadly sins against humanity. And as such, from the moment of its commitment the Armenian Genocide has faced unanimous condemnation by the Triple Entente – openly, by the allies of the Ottoman Empire – in their domestic documents, as well as by other public circles, who had the nerve to speak out. Even back then those actions were considered shameful and disgraceful.

Today the US seems to have started to speak more freely about the importance of the recognition of the Armenian Genocide. It inspires a wary optimism. Let me mention another interesting fact: the US Vice-President Joe Biden, who is also the Chairman of the Senate, may express his position as one of those Senators, who used to support the recognition of the Armenian Genocide. On the other hand, the head of the institution that carries out the US foreign policy John Kerry, who also used to be one of the active supporters of the recognition of the Armenian Genocide.

It is important to realize, that the recognition of the Armenian Genocide in the US is an issue not only for the Armenian community, but also an issue fixed in the domestic policy agenda of the USA, which has for a long time demanded a solution. The Armenian Genocide has long become a domestic touchstone in the US, which the government has to solve first of all for the Armenians having US citizenship, to respect their historical memory and condemn the crime committed against their ancestors.

Interview by Syune Barseghyan