GLENDALE — The Armenian National Committee of America – Western Region on Wednesday, June 1, endorsed Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders as the Democratic candidate in the California presidential primary to be held on June 7. The ANCA-WR believes that Sanders is best positioned to advance foreign policies and international humanitarian principles supported by California’s Armenian-American electorate.
“The Armenian National Committee of America- Western Region is proud to endorse Bernie Sanders in California’s June 7th Democratic presidential primary as the only candidate with a proven record of consistent and strong support for issues that advance the Armenian Cause,” said ANCA-WR Chairwoman Nora Hovsepian.
As a member of the U.S. House of Representatives (1991-2007) and U.S. Senate (2008-present), Bernie Sanders has supported Armenian Genocide legislation, Section 907 restrictions on U.S. assistance to Azerbaijan, and efforts to secure Turkey’s return of confiscated Armenian and other Christian Churches.
As senator and later a presidential candidate in 2008, Clinton supported Armenian-American concerns, including her pledge to recognize the Armenian Genocide. However, as Secretary of State, Clinton reneged on her promises and advanced an agenda through which she called the US recognition of the Armenian Genocide “a door that is a very dangerous one to go through” saying that it was a “matter of historical debate” rather than a political decision.
This stood in stark contrast to her pledge as a presidential candidate in 2008 when she unequivocally said: “I believe the horrible events perpetrated by the Ottoman Empire against Armenians constitute a clear case of genocide.” In her book, Hard Choices, Clinton characterized the Genocide issue as an “emotionally charged conflict” between Turkey and Armenia.
Immediately after assuming office as secretary of state, Clinton zealously shepherded the dangerous Armenia-Turkey protocols that posed a threat to Armenia’s national security. Her approach to the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict and her failure to properly condemn Azerbaijan’s military advances and rhetoric, further complicated the fragile peace process and resulted in loss of military and civilian lives in Artsakh.