Schwarzenegger about genocide

[Tropical]

http://www.schwarzenegger.com/news.asp?id=2012

April 15, 2005

GOVERNOR SCHWARZENEGGER PROCLAIMS APRIL 24 "DAY OF REMEMBRANCE OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE"

EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT
STATE OF CALIFORNIA
_____________________

P R O C L A M A T I O N
by the
Governor of the State of California

Ninety years ago today, the Ottoman Turkish government waged a war of terror on Armenian culture through the brutal deportation, imprisonment and decimation of men, women and children of Armenian descent. By 1923, the Ottoman Empire had dissolved, but its monstrous attempt at ethnic cleansing left more than 1.5 million Armenians massacred and 500,000 survivors forcibly exiled from their ancestral homeland.

Today, the Republic of Armenia remains as the world's reminder of the Armenian Genocide and of the indestructible spirit of a people. It is a nation founded on the principles of freedom and democracy that we as Americans prize above all else. Our state's flourishing Armenian-American population - the largest outside of Armenia - has left its indelible stamp on our state's history, industry and culture.

Each year, the Day of Remembrance of the Armenian Genocide brings an opportunity for all people to scrutinize the cause and consequence of this grim massacre. To carve out a secure future free from intolerance and persecution, we must examine the past and heed history's lessons of forewarning - for the sake of future generations who inherit our civilization.

In 1969, then-Governor Ronald Reagan said, "Today, I humbly bow in memory of the Armenian martyrs, who died in the name of freedom." On the 90th anniversary of this great human tragedy, Californians continue to join with freedom-loving people around the world to honor the Armenian people as they continue to show the world the true meaning of hope, renewal and perseverance.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER, Governor of the State of California, do hereby proclaim April 24, 2005, as a "Day of Remembrance of the Armenian Genocide."


IN WITNESS WHEREOF I have here unto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of California to be affixed this the fourteenth day of April 2005.

/s/ Arnold Schwarzenegger

Governor of California

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The White House

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary

April 24, 2005

STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT

On Armenian Remembrance Day, we remember the forced exile and
mass killings of as many as 1.5 million Armenians during the last days
of the Ottoman Empire. This terrible event is what many Armenian
people have come to call the "Great Calamity." I join my fellow
Americans and Armenian people around the world in expressing my
deepest condolences for this horrible loss of life. Today, as we
commemorate the 90th anniversary of this human tragedy and reflect
on the suffering of the Armenian people, we also look toward a
promising future for an independent Armenian state.

The United States is grateful for Armenia's contributions to the
war on terror and to efforts to build a democratic and peaceful
Iraq. We remain committed to supporting the historic reforms
Armenia has pursued for over a decade. We call on the Government of
Armenia to advance democratic freedoms that will further advance
the aspirations of the Armenian people. We remain committed to a
lasting and peaceful settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict.
We also seek a deeper partnership with Armenia that includes
security cooperation and is rooted in the shared values of
democratic and market economic freedoms.

I applaud individuals in Armenia and Turkey who have sought to
examine the historical events of the early 20th century with
honesty and sensitivity. The recent analysis by the International
Center for Transitional Justice did not provide the final word, yet
marked a significant step toward reconciliation and restoration of
the spirit of tolerance and cultural richness that has connected
the people of the Caucasus and Anatolia for centuries. We look to a
future of freedom, peace, and prosperity in Armenia and Turkey and
hope that Prime Minister Erdogan's recent proposal for a joint
Turkish-Armenian commission can help advance these processes.

Millions of Americans proudly trace their ancestry to Armenia.
Their faith, traditions, and patriotism enrich the cultural,
political, and economic life of the United States. I appreciate all
individuals who work to promote peace, tolerance, and
reconciliation. On this solemn day of remembrance, I send my best
wishes and expressions of solidarity to Armenian people around the
world.

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