White House official on Armenian Genocide: History must be acknowledged

We will forever respect the perseverance of the Armenian people, a senior White House official told The Hill.

The comment comes after a bipartisan coalition of nearly 40 lawmakers led by Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) urged President Biden to become the first U.S. president to officially recognize the Ottoman Empire’s Armenian genocide.

When reached for comment, a senior administration official noted Biden’s statement on the Armenian genocide as a presidential candidate, adding in a statement to The Hill, “He said then that we must never forget or remain silent about this horrific campaign. And we will forever respect the perseverance of the Armenian people in the wake of such a great tragedy.”

The official said the Biden administration “is committed to promoting respect for human rights and ensuring such atrocities are not repeated. A critical part of that is acknowledging history.”

Source: Public Radio of Armenia