SYDNEY: The Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC Australia) has written an open letter to the Hon. Maxine McKew, calling on her to honour her pledge to "unequivocally and publically" advocate for Armenian Genocide recognition by the Federal Government of Australia.

In the lead-up to the 2007 Federal Election, now-Member for Bennelong Ms McKew won many Armenian votes on her way to a tight victory over then-Prime Minister John Howard, by stating:

"The Armenian-Australian community has a kindred spirit in me and if elected, I will advocate for recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the Government of Australia."

Two years since her election, Ms McKew has failed to honour that pledge.

Instead, she recently spoke in Parliament referring to the Armenian Genocide as "the tragedy and misery faced by millions of Armenians and others".

ANC Australia President, Mr. Varant Meguerditchian stated in his open letter released today: "The use of euphemisms to describe the Armenian Genocide is an insult to the victims of this crime against humanity and falls well short of your campaign promise to represent your electorate."

In her same speech to Parliament, Ms. McKew also welcomed the "historical commission" proposed in the one-sided Turkey-Armenia Protocols; something which has been protested by Armenians worldwide, as well as in her electorate of Bennelong.

ANC Australia's Vick Kalloghlian added: "We met with Ms McKew in Canberra this week and aired our grievances, encouraging her to remain in touch with the emotions of Armenians within her electorate.

"It is important she realises how much this means to the considerable Armenian community in Bennelong and nationwide."

ANC Australia has released a WEB CAMPAIGN, asking members of the community to take a minute and fill in their details to join the call for Ms McKew to honour her pledge and publically advocate for the recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the Federal Government of Australia.

CLICK HERE AND SEND A WEB LOBBY LETTER IN 1 MINUTE

CLICK HERE AND SEND A WEB LOBBY LETTER IN 1 MINUTE

OPEN LETTER to The Hon. Maxine McKew MP

The Hon. Maxine McKew MP
Member for Bennelong
Level 3, 230 Victoria Road
Gladesville NSW 2111

Dear Ms McKew,

We write to you in relation to a matter of fundamental importance to the Armenian-Australian community and the wider Australian public.

During your 2007 Federal Election campaign for the seat of Bennelong, we, the Armenian National Committee of Australia (ANC Australia), met with you to discuss issues of concern to the Armenian-Australian constituents in your electorate. During this meeting, you expressed your detailed knowledge of the Armenian Genocide, and affirmed that if elected, you would continue to “unequivocally and publically” support the recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the Federal Government of Australia.

Your statement was made public with your consent prior to the Federal Election in 2007, and lead to a large number of Bennelong Armenians, for whom this issue is of decisive importance, cast their vote for you.

Since that time, we have met with you on six separate occasions where you have again expressed your will to publically advocate for recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the Federal Government of Australia.

However, we are two years into your term and you have failed to honour this pledge.

Instead, you recently made a speech in Parliament, where you spoke about Armenia-Turkey relations and referred to the “tragedy and misery faced by millions of Armenians”. The use of euphemisms to describe the Armenian Genocide is an insult to the victims of this crime against humanity and falls well short of your campaign promise to represent your electorate.

Further, in this same speech, you endorsed the Armenia-Turkey protocols and welcomed the creation of a historical commission by the governments of Turkey and Armenia to “investigate the tragic events of World War I”. The protocols and this commission have been denounced by over 100,000 protesters in Armenia and around the world, including 600 Bennelong Armenians in your electorate. It has also been denounced by the International Association of Genocide Scholars, who claim that such a historical commission would create debate, undermine existing academic research and cast doubt over the reality of the Armenian Genocide.

The Armenian-Australian community expects that as the representative for the Federal seat of Bennelong, you will honour your moral conviction and campaign pledge to publically advocate for recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the Federal Government of Australia.

We thank you in anticipation of an affirmative response.

Sincerely,

Varant Meguerditchian
President

Armenian National Committee of Australia

Cc: Foreign Affairs Minister, the Hon. Stephen Smith MP
Cc: Prime Minister, the Hon. Kevin Rudd MP