The U.S. Senate continued the anti-Turkish campaign launched by the House of Representatives, by unanimously passing a resolution that recognizes the 1915 events in Turkey as the so-called Armenian genocide.
The resolution was pushed by one of the key lobbies of the Armenian diaspora in the U.S., New Jersey Democratic Senator Bob Menendez.
This autumn, after U.S. House of Representatives voted overwhelmingly to recognize it, Menendez already asked for consent to pass the resolution, but back then it was blocked by U.S. Democratic Senator Lindsey Graham.
Well-known researcher of the history of the Caucasus and the Middle East Philip Ekozyants, speaking with the correspondent of Vestnik Kavkaza, noted that the myth of the 'Armenian genocide' in the Ottoman Empire is an American invention. "The American press was most involved in promoting this idea in the mid-1910s. The focus was on the Armenian population, although it is important to note that the concept of 'genocide' was created much later," he said in the first place.
"Reality did not correspond to American publications. There were many deaths on both sides, innocent Turks died just like innocent Armenians did. The local population equally suffered from war and internal strife, as well as looters and robbers who appear in times of any war. That is, the resolution of the House of Representatives is a continuation of pressure on Turkey. Look, the Americans can not just press, but also to use these pressure mechanisms. A hundred years ago they called the Armenian issue the main one, and the Armenians - main victims, but the resolution on the recognition of "genocide" was backed only a hundred years later. They were first to scream about it, but waited for the right moment to come," Ekozyants stressed.
"Thank God that Turkey is moving away from American influence. I believe that the adoption of the resolution is connected with this: it’s an act of despair. If the U.S. had to resort to this, they’re doing very bad. Today, the "Armenian genocide" idea is trying to survive: access to information has changed so much over the past two decades, it has become so open that it’s very difficult to maintain people's conviction that the "genocide" took place. I can’t say that this idea is moving forward, only part of Armenians supports it. Those forces that invented the "genocide" are trying to save it in the minds of an ignorant public, I think this sad story is coming to an end," the historian said.
"I hope for the enlightenment of our people, the Armenians, because they need to free themselves from terrible dependence. The 'Armenian Genocide' is, in fact, a leash that was thrown at the Armenian people. Before this concept appeared, the Armenians were the scattered people like others, tied to a specific land, to their neighbors from other nations, and not to some historical state. When this choker was placed, it became much easier to manage people who consider themselves to be Armenians. The concept of 'Armenian genocide' is great evil for Armenian people," Philip Ekozyants concluded.
