A statement by presidential candidate John McCain, posted by the Armenian National Committee of America, on Armenian-American issues:

February 1, 2008

Aram Hamparian
Executive Director
Armenian National Committee of America
1711 N Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036

Thank you for contacting me regarding my views on issues of special concern to the Armenian-American community – a community which has contributed richly to the American fabric and has been instrumental in ensuring that one of the greatest tragedies of the 20th century is never forgotten.

It is fair to say that this tragedy, the brutal murder of as many as one and a half million Armenians under the rule of the Ottoman Empire, has also been one of the most neglected. The suffering endured by the Armenian people during that period represented the prologue to what has come to be known as humanity’s bloodiest century.

Therefore, the rise of independent Armenia from such painful experiences is extremely inspirational, as is the vibrancy of the Armenian diaspora. In particular, I deeply admire both Armenia’s support of coalition operations in Iraq and NATO peacekeeping efforts in Kosovo, as well as the Armenian-American community’s great contributions to our nation. In my visits to Armenia, I have been deeply impressed by the tremendous progress made in very difficult circumstances.

I greatly appreciate this opportunity and look forward to working with the Armenian-American community in my campaign and as the next President of the United States.

Sincerely,

John McCain