L.A. County presses White House to recognize Armenian GenocideMay 5, 2017 - 14:29 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors added its voice this week to those calling on the White House to recognize the Armenian Genocide, Beverly Hills Patch reports. 1.5 million Armenians were systematically murdered or marched to their deaths in the first genocide of the 20th century, perpetrated at the hands of the Ottoman Empire. Around 30 countries, dozens of local government bodies and international organizations have so far recognized the killings as genocide. Turkey denies to this day. Supervisor Kathryn Barger recommended sending a letter to President Donald Trump. "Now is the time to put our words into action," Barger told her colleagues. "We need our national leaders to call what happened between 1915 and 1923 what it is, a genocide." She noted that Trump, like past presidents, stopped short of that designation, referring instead to "one of the worst mass atrocities of the 20th century" when mourning the killings of an estimated 1.5 million Armenians. The board will also urge the county's congressional delegates to support House Resolution 220, sponsored by Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Burbank, which would formally recognize the Genocide. Los Angeles County is home to more than 200,000 Armenians, the largest such community outside of Armenia. The Armenian Genocide The Armenian Genocide (1915-23) was the deliberate and systematic destruction of the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire during and just after World War I. It was characterized by massacres and deportations, involving forced marches under conditions designed to lead to the death of the deportees, with the total number of deaths reaching 1.5 million. Top stories Six total incidents have burned 19 old-growth trees. Friday night 8 trees were torched along the beautiful main entrance. The EU does not intend to conduct military exercises with Armenia, Lead Spokesperson for EU Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Peter Stano says. Hikmet Hajiyev has said that there is no place for USAID operation in Azerbaijan any longer. A telephone conversation between Putin and Pashinyan before the CSTO summit is not planned, Peskov says. Partner news | Armenian, Iranian foreigh policy chief talk over the phone The Foreign Minister of Armenia once again expressed condolences to his counterpart on the death of the President of Iran. Armenian government besieged by protesters Protesters led by Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan poured into Yerevan’s Republic Square to try to surround the seat of Armenia’s government. Armenia, Russia agree on repairing railway destroyed in floods Yerevan and Moscow have agreed to repair a flood-stricken railway in northern Armenia. EU calls on Azerbaijan to release all political prisoners The European Union calls on Azerbaijan to release all those imprisoned for exercising their fundamental rights. |