Genocide - Denial Still Going On Over Armenian Genocide

After After months of wondering it has finally happened that John Evans, the American ambassador to Armenia, has been officially removed and a replacement has been quietly announced.

On May 23, the White House announced that President George W. Bush intends to nominate Ambassador Richard Hoagland, currently the U.S. Ambassador in Tajikistan, to be the next U.S. Ambassador to the Republic of Armenia.

In February 2005, as part of a tour of Armenian-American communities in the United States, Ambassador Evans gave a speech at UC Berkeley, California. During which the ambassador proclaimed the muslim turks butchery of Armenians, as "the first genocide of the 20th century"

"I informed myself in depth about it," said Evans, "and I think we, the US government, owe you, our fellow citizens a more frank and honest way of discussing this problem. Today, as someone who's studied it...There's no doubt in my mind what happened." Evans said he had also consulted with a State Department lawyer who confirmed that the events of 1915 were "genocide by definition."

"The Armenian Genocide was the first genocide of the 20th century," said Evans, remarking that since it was the first occurrence, the world was not equipped to respond appropriately. "We made many mistakes after WWI. They sowed the seeds of WWII." Commending Colin Powell for courageously calling the recent massacres in Darfur, Sudan genocide, Evans said, "I pledge to you, we are going to do a better job at addressing this issue."

A good piece on this at nodhimmitude, now at this point I have to add that although I am in favour of Turkey being admitted to the EU as a member state and as a result of that getting all the benefits of joining on of the worlds largest trading blocks, they do need to face up to the past and what previous generations have done.

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