Change in US Position on Genocide?

The US Ambassador to Armenia said on April 21 that he expected a change in the United States’ position on the Armenian Genocide, reported Tert.am.

Speaking at a conference organized by the Armenian Genocide Museum and Institute, John Heffern said that President Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry are expected to make “strong” statements.

“The president will make a statement on April 24 this year. Secretary Kerry as well. And that will be very strong,” the diplomat said, adding that the US officials are very well aware of the events and will decide for themselves what kind of statement to make.

Heffern said that the statement will recognize that 1.5 million Armenians were massacred, adding, however, that he cannot say what word the President will use in the statement. (*)

The event, entitled “The Caucasian Frontline of the First World War: Genocide, Refugees and Humanitarian Assistance” was hosted at the National Academy of Sciences upon the initiative of the Armenian Genocide Museum and Institute.

The ambassador also explained the reason for his presence at the conference. “What [museum’s director] Hayk Demoyan and the museum do is to support and educate the people on the events. That’s why I am here,” he told reporters.

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(*) If the statement will recognize that 1.5 million Armenians were massacred--Bill Clinton already did it in 1998-- and the expression "Medz Yeghern" will be used for the sixth time since 2009, there will be nothing new, except that Armenian Americans might decide to learn--quite late, alas--that "Medz Yeghern" means "Great Crime"/"Armenian Genocide" and let it know to the interested parties from Washington D.C. to Ankara (the latter already knew it before them). But the U.S. President is going to state explicitly, once again, that his views have not changed since the time they were in the Senate and is going to give real proof of it, then we would really see something "very strong." Is there any reason to get ready shatter American foreign policy and have the U.S. Ambassador in Yerevan talking beforehand? Let's wait and see. ("Armeniaca")