21/03/2019 14:50
Armenian-American community should work hard to extort Trump’s promise to recognize Armenian Genocide
The recognition of the Armenian Genocide by already 49th U.S. state cannot serve as a legal ground for its recognition by the federal authorities, specialist on international affairs Suren Sargsyan told Aysor.am, referring to the recognition of Armenian Genocide by Alabama State. All U.S. states except Missouri have recognized the Armenian Genocide.
“As it is known there are provincial and federal authorities in the United States. The goal of the Armenian people and the Armenian community living in the USA is to reach recognition on the federal level, for the issue to enter the foreign political agenda of the United States and clear political assessment be given to the events of 1915 and for U.S. President and executive power to qualify it as the first genocide of 20th century,” he said.
Sargsyan said that this is the key goal the Armenian-American community wants to reach today.
The political analyst reminded that only one U.S. President Ronald Reagan spoke about recognition of the Armenian genocide, after him neither of U.S. presidents uttered the word “genocide”.
“The Armenian community decided to choose another way. It worked on the recognition of the fact by all the U.S. states which is some moral lever for it to show the federal authorities that all the states and the American people recognize the Armenian Genocide,” the political analyst said.
As to whether it is real for the U.S. federal authorities to recognize the Armenian Genocide, Sargsyan said that the incumbent U.S. government is too pragmatic and is being guided with interests of exclusively own country.
“The USA first puts its interests. Turkey is USA’s strategic ally despite not so brotherly relations between the two. Turkey remains NATO member state and USA’s key strategic ally in the region. I do not think the United States will undertake any steps that will harm Turkey,” he said.
The expert said the possibility of it is rather small but at the same time he stressed that Donald Trump has a bit other approach to political issues.
“I do not exclude that after giving a pre-electoral promise to recognize Armenian Genocide he will keep his promise. In its turn, the Armenian community must orient in a right way and work actively to extort his promise,” the expert said.