Washington briefing: Sen. Obama’s running mate pick strong on Armenian issues

Published: Saturday August 30, 2008

Sen. Biden (center) commenting on Armenian issues during a July 29 meeting. Armenian Reporter

Sen. Barack Obama (D.-Ill.) chose Sen. Joe Biden (D.-Del.), chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, as his running mate last week, and the Democratic National Convention in Denver confirmed him as the party's vice presidential nominee.

The selection was welcomed by Armenian-American organizations since Mr. Biden has a long track record of supporting Armenian-American concerns throughout his more than 35 years in the Senate.

That record includes support for U.S. affirmation of the Armenian Genocide, including the Senate resolution championed by the Senate Republican Party leader Bob Dole in 1990, supporting all Armenian Genocide resolutions introduced in the Senate, and pushing for a change in the Bush Administration policy as part of the confirmation process for the U.S. ambassador to Armenia since 2006 and until earlier this summer.

During the July 29 Foreign Relations Committee meeting that confirmed Marie Yovanovitch as U.S. ambassador to Armenia, Mr. Biden noted, "Recognition by the United States of the Armenian Genocide is not the final goal. The real goal is the recognition of Turkey - of the Turkish Government - of the Armenian Genocide and the establishment of a common Turkish-Armenian understanding of the events and tragedy that took place."

Mr. Biden also supported Karabakh's right to self-determination and the 1993 U.S. sanctions against Azerbaijan over its aggression against Armenia and Karabakh. He introduced the 2007 resolution honoring the Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink assassinated by Turkish nationalists.

Earlier this year, Mr. Obama himself issued a statement in which he promised to recognize the Armenian Genocide as president and support a Karabakh settlement "that is agreeable to all parties, and based upon America's founding commitment to the principles of democracy and self determination."

The Republican Party's presumptive nominee, Sen. John McCain (R.-Ariz.) has promised no changes in U.S. policies on Armenian issues; he has also yet to select a running mate.

Last year, Mr. Biden also advocated for a robust U.S. response to the humanitarian crisis in Sudan's Darfur region, and was willing to "commit U.S. troops on the ground."

Meanwhile, Mr. Biden supports U.S. leadership in Armenia's region and checking Russia's influence there. In a joint letter with his committee colleague Sen. Dick Lugar (R.-Ind.) last October, Sen. Biden argued that the United States has a "long-term interest in preventing Russian domination of energy [development and transportation] in the Southern Caucasus and Central Asia."

Other senior foreign policy advisors to Mr. Obama include President Carter's National Security Advisor Zbigniew Brzezinski, 80, a strong advocate of containing Russia, as well as the Clinton Administration's National Security Advisor Anthony Lake, 69, and former State Department policy planning director Gregory Craig, 63, both of whom are strong proponents of NATO expansion.