Yerevan /Mediamax/. President of Armenia Serzh Sargsyan expressed the hope “that the recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the U.S. is a matter of ‘when’ and not ‘if.’”

The President stated it addressing a speech at the interreligious prayer dedicated to the Armenian Genocide victims at the Washington National Cathedral in the evening of May 7.

Vice President of the United States Joseph Biden, U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Samantha Power, Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church Katharine Jefferts Schori and Secretary General of the World Council of Churches Olav Fykse Tveit attended the prayer ceremony, the Armenian presidential press service reports.

Photo: Press service of the Armenian President

“We have always had the support of the U.S. in our 100-year struggle for justice and truth,” said Serzh Sargsyan in his speech.

The Armenian President recalled that progressive American social-public figures condemned the anti-Armenian policy of the Sultan’s government back in late 19th century.

“U.S. Ambassador Henry Morgenthau’s name has been eternalized in gold letters among the friends of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire. He was the first American to tell the world about the mass killings of the Armenians carried out by Young Turks, describing the Armenian Genocide as an “extermination campaign.” The Armenian people will also always remember hundreds of Americans who established orphanages in Armenia, Middle East and Europe to save and take care of the tens of thousands of Armenian orphans who survived the Genocide,” noted Serzh Sargsyan.

 

The Armenian President recalled in his speech the genocides in Cambodia, Rwanda and Darfur underlining that the international community today lacks reliable tools to prevent genocides in the future.

He also spoke of current attempts in the U.S. aimed at giving precise assessments to the Armenian Genocide.

“The fact 44 states have already recognized the Armenian Genocide and condemned this crime against the humanity is the vivid pledge of what I said. I hope the recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the U.S. is a matter of “when” and not if.” Let’s join efforts and “bind with a bandage the wounds” of humanity in order to achieve justice and peace in us and in the entire world,” said the President.

Photo: Press service of the Armenian President

The full video recording of the interreligious prayer dedicated to the Armenian Genocide victims at Washington National cathedral is available here.