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[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 227 Introduced in House (IH)]

113th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 227

   Calling on the President to work toward equitable, constructive, 
stable, and durable Armenian-Turkish relations based upon the Republic 
 of Turkey's full acknowledgment of the facts and ongoing consequences 
     of the Armenian Genocide, and a fair, just, and comprehensive 
        international resolution of this crime against humanity.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 20, 2013

   Mr. Valadao (for himself, Mr. Schiff, Mr. Pallone, and Mr. Grimm) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
                           on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
   Calling on the President to work toward equitable, constructive, 
stable, and durable Armenian-Turkish relations based upon the Republic 
 of Turkey's full acknowledgment of the facts and ongoing consequences 
     of the Armenian Genocide, and a fair, just, and comprehensive 
        international resolution of this crime against humanity.

Whereas the Obama Administration has, since early 2009, sought to improve 
        Armenian-Turkish relations through diplomatic efforts to lift the 
        Republic of Turkey's blockade of Armenia and facilitate an end to 
        Ankara's refusal to establish diplomatic relations with Yerevan;
Whereas at the start of this process, President Barack Obama had, on April 6, 
        2009, voiced the United States Government's expectation that Armenia-
        Turkey dialogue would ``bear fruit very quickly'', but that, since then, 
        the Obama Administration has commended Armenia's participation in this 
        dialogue while holding Turkey largely responsible for the lack of 
        results from this process, with the Secretary of State noting, on June 
        4, 2012, that, on this matter, ``the ball remains in Turkey's court.'';
Whereas on April 24, 2013, President Barack Obama stated, ``A full, frank, and 
        just acknowledgment of the facts is in all of our interests. Nations 
        grow stronger by acknowledging and reckoning with painful elements of 
        the past, thereby building a foundation for a more just and tolerant 
        future.'';
Whereas the Republic of Turkey, rather than acknowledging and reckoning with 
        painful elements of the past, has escalated its international campaign 
        of Armenian Genocide denial, maintained its blockade of Armenia, and 
        increased its pressure on the small but growing Turkish civil society 
        movement acknowledging the Armenian Genocide and seeking justice for 
        this systematic campaign of destruction of millions of Armenians, 
        Greeks, Assyrians, Pontians, Syriacs, and other Christians upon their 
        biblical-era homelands;
Whereas the United States is on record as having officially recognized the 
        Armenian Genocide, in the United States Government's May 28, 1951, 
        written statement to the International Court of Justice regarding the 
        Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, 
        through President Ronald Reagan's April 22, 1981, Proclamation No. 4838, 
        and by Congressional legislation, including House Joint Resolution 148 
        adopted on April 8, 1975, and House Joint Resolution 247 adopted on 
        September 10, 1984;
Whereas even prior to the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the 
        Crime of Genocide, the United States has a record of having sought to 
        justly and constructively address the consequences of the Ottoman 
        Empire's intentional destruction of the Armenian people, including 
        through Senate Concurrent Resolution 12 adopted on February 9, 1916, 
        Senate Resolution 359 adopted on May 11, 1920, and President Woodrow 
        Wilson's Decision of the President of the United States of America 
        Respecting the Frontier between Turkey and Armenia, Access for Armenia 
        to the Sea, and the Demilitarization of Turkish Territory Adjacent to 
        the Armenian Frontier, dated November 22, 1920;
Whereas President Barack Obama entered office having stated his ``firmly held 
        conviction that the Armenian Genocide is not an allegation, a personal 
        opinion, or a point of view, but rather a widely documented fact 
        supported by an overwhelming body of historical evidence'', affirmed his 
        record of ``calling for Turkey's acknowledgment of the Armenian 
        Genocide'', and pledged that ``as President I will recognize the 
        Armenian Genocide''; and
Whereas the United States national interests in the establishment of equitable, 
        constructive, stable, and durable relations between Armenians and Turks 
        cannot be meaningfully advanced by circumventing or otherwise seeking to 
        avoid materially addressing the central political, legal, security, and 
        moral issue between these two nations, Turkey's denial of truth and 
        justice for the Armenian Genocide: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives calls on the President 
to work toward equitable, constructive, stable, and durable Armenian-
Turkish relations based upon the Republic of Turkey's full 
acknowledgment of the facts and ongoing consequences of the Armenian 
Genocide, and a fair, just, and comprehensive international resolution 
of this crime against humanity.
                                 <all>
```