The message says:
“It is an honor to be asked to address the Embassy of Armenia on this 30th Anniversary of Armenia's Independence Day.
I understand that this message will be shared with the people of Armenia, so I'd like to speak to you directly.
I'd like to extend my best wishes as you observe this important milestone in your nation's history, one made even more meaningful by the generations of Armenians who longed to see their vision of an independent Armenia realized.
It has been a long and arduous path for the people of Armenia as you struggle for freedom. You first bravely asserted your right to self-determination when the Armenian National Council declared independence in 1918, not long after Armenians joined together to resist the atrocities committed by the Ottoman Empire.
During the years of Soviet rule, you remembered the ideals that you set forth in establishing the First Republic of Armenia, a source of hope and you could once again secure a free and democratic homeland for your people.
You then voted overwhelmingly for independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, establishing a sovereign state that I am proud to stand by today as a partner and a friend. Armenians understand the importance of this history in attaining the long-sought goal of a homeland of your own.
I too believe in the importance of understanding our past as a means to inform the future. That is why I fought for many years to recognize the truth of the Armenian genocide a part of the Armenian experience denied by the descendants of those who perpe...
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