"I have come to pay tribute to the memory of the big massacre victims," U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John Heffern told media on April 24, when laying flowers on the Memorial for the Victims of the Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire in 1915.
The ambassador said that the big tragedy of the early 20th century took the lives of 1.5 million innocent people. Therefore, the ambassador said, he came to pay tribute to the memory of those victims.
Despite the efforts of the influential Armenian community, the USA has not recognized the Armenian Genocide yet. Nevertheless, over 30 States of America have already recognized the Armenian Genocide. For many years the presidents of the USA have promised to recognize the Armenian Genocide during their presidential campaigns, but denied their words after election.
This year, Armenians worldwide mark the 98th anniversary of that tragedy. Genocide of Armenians has been recognized by most of the United States as well as by dozens of countries, including Uruguay, Russia, Belgium, France, Argentina, Switzerland, Poland, Slovakia, the Netherlands, Greece, Cyprus, Vatican, Sweden, Lithuania, the House of Representatives of the Canadian Parliament, the World Church Council and the Lower House of the Italian Parliament. The European Parliament passed a resolution recognizing the fact of Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Turkey on June 18 1987 and demanded the Council of Europe to exert pressure on Turkey in order that country recognizes the Armenian Genocide. Turkey still denies the genocide of 1,5 million Armenians in 1915-1923.