Joe Biden has vowed to recognize the Turkish genocide of 1.5 million Armenians in the early 20th century.
Biden’s campaign made the announcement in a Friday statement that coincided with Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day. The former vice president pledged to do what both Presidents Barack Obama and Trump have failed to do.
“If we do not fully acknowledge, commemorate, and teach our children about genocide, the words ‘never again’ lose their meaning,” Biden said. “The facts must be as clear and as powerful for future generations as for those whose memories are seared by tragedy. Failing to remember or acknowledge the fact of a genocide only paves the way for future mass atrocities.”
There has been a bipartisan consensus in Congress that the genocide should be recognized. But a bipartisan slate of American presidents has gingerly avoided recognizing the violence as such out of fears of upsetting NATO ally Turkey, which plays a pivotal role in one of the most volatile areas of the world.
The Senate unanimously passed a bill last December that recognized the genocide. The House had previously approved the legislation by a wide 405-11 vote. Despite the overwhelming bipartisan support among lawmakers, the State Department later reaffirmed that the administration does not recognize the slaughter as a genocide.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned at the time that lawmakers in his country may recognize the deaths of Native Americans as a genocide.
Biden touted his time in the Senate, where he said he was “proud to lead efforts to recognize the genocide.”
“I pledge to support a resolution recognizing the Armenian Genocide and will make universal human rights a top priority for my administration,” the presumptive Democratic nominee said.
The White House released a statement on Friday where the genocide is referred to as “one of the worst mass atrocities of the 20th century,” although it did not use the word “genocide.”
“On this day, we bear witness to the strength and resiliency of the Armenian people in the face of tragedy,” the statement read. “We welcome efforts by the Armenians and Turks to acknowledge and reckon with their painful history.”
In a statement to the Washington Examiner, Armenian National Committee of America Executive Director Aram Hamparian said that both Biden and Trump need to do more regarding recognition of the genocide.
“Vice President Biden needs to do more than make promises about yet another congressional resolution. He needs to reckon honestly and openly with the broken Obama-Biden pledge to recognize the Armenian Genocide – either apologizing for this betrayal or explaining that position on this matter was overridden by President Obama,” Hamparian said.
“For his part, President Trump – for all his talk about America First and standing up against Christian persecution abroad – has caved in to Turkey – copy-pasting weak statements of past presidents and enforcing the longest lasting foreign gag-rule in American history,” she added.
