Obama announces delegation to Armenian Genocide Centennial events in Yerevan

 President Barack Obama announced Tuesday that a presidential delegation will attend a centennial commemoration of the Armenian Genocide centennial commemorations in Armenia later this week, according to the White House.

Treasury Secretary Jack Lew will be joined Friday by Washington's envoy to Yerevan, Richard Mills, and House Reps.  Jackie Speier, Frank Pallone, Anna Eshoo and Dave Trott. 
The announcement follows a meeting earlier Tuesday between Obama's Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes, Chief of Staff Denis McDonough, and Armenian-American leaders.

"They discussed the significance of this occasion for honoring the 1.5 million lives extinguished during that horrific period, and welcomed the principled advocacy of the Armenian-American community on behalf of justice," National Security Council spokeswoman Bernadette Meehan said in a statement.

"They pledged that the United States will use the occasion to urge a full, frank, and just acknowledgement of the facts that we believe is in the interest of all parties," she added

Meehan also said Susan Rice, the United States National Security Advisor, had a meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu who was on a visit to Washington and called on (Ankara) to step up efforts to improve the relations with Armenia and launch an open dialogue in Turkey on the 1915 massacres. 

To note, France, Russia and Cyprus have confirmed their participation in the events. Diplomatic sources told ArmInfo, Belarus would be represented at the Armenian Genocide commemorations in Yerevan at the level of president too.  Joseph Daul, Chairman of the European People's Party and Anne Brasseur, PACE President, are also expected to visit Armenia on April 24. Czech Ambassador Petr Mikyska said that one of the Parliament's Vice-Speakers would visit Armenia in April.  Switzerland, that has both recognized and adopted a law that criminalizes the negation of the Armenian Genocide, will show its participation thorugh the Swiss Ambassador to Armenia. British MP John Whittingdale and bishop Richard Chartres are to represent London at the events.  Meanwhile, Turkey is set to celebrate the Centennial of the Gallipoli victory on April 24. Ankara has invited the world leaders to the event. Leaders of Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Pakistan, as well as Prince Charles and Prince Harry have already confirmed their participation in the "Gallipoli event".  Australia and Norway have staked out their refusal to take part in the events.  Turkey still denies the Genocide of 1.5 million of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire in the early 20th century