By Harut Sassounian Publisher, The California Courier After ignoring the hundreds of protest letters and e-mails it received from around the world regarding the denial of the Armenian Genocide by the British Ambassador to Armenia, the British government finally deigned to respond to one such letter. The Union of Armenians of Switzerland (UAS) sent a letter to Jack Straw, the Foreign Secretary of the United Kingdom, on March 30, 2004, expressing their "shock" at the statements made by British Ambassador. The UAS castigated the British government's "reluctance for political reasons to recognize the Armenian genocide... out of economic miscalculation and political expediency." The UAS also stated that the British Ambassador "succeeded in stirring up feelings deeply rooted in the psyche of Armenians all over the world. Now one wonders how she can serve as an ambassador in a country whose people feel hurt by her. The least that should be done is for her to apologize. Or, a significant diplomatic step could be taken to somehow appease the huge wave of sentiments - a mixture of dismay, sorrow and anger - amongst Armenians in Armenia and elsewhere in the world. A standstill would not help settle the situation." Sean Rooney, the desk officer responsible for Armenia and Azerbaijan at the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, in a letter dated April 21, told the UAS that he was responding to "some widely reported recent comments our Ambassador to Armenia, Thorda Abbott-Watt, made to an Armenian journalist about the events of 1915-16.... These comments have generated numerous responses from Armenian individuals and organizations, both to her and to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Your views, and those of others who have been in touch with us on this matter, have been noted." Mr. Rooney, as expected, defended the denialist position of Her Majesty's Government and Amb. Abbott-Watt. He wrote: "Our Ambassador was responding to a question about HMG's position on the terrible tragedy that befell the Armenian people during the First World War. Quite rightly, and as we would expect, she answered with a statement of that position which is well-known and long established. We are aware that this issue is particularly sensitive in Armenia, and it is a matter of regret to our Ambassador if her answer caused offense. However, she could not have done other than answer honestly the question that was put to her and in doing so she was correctly representing her Government's views, and has our support." As I had previously stated and judging by the condescending tone and content of Mr. Rooney's letter, Amb. Abbott-Watt is not the real culprit in this controversy. She is merely repeating the denialist position of the British government. Her misfortune is that she has to face the Armenians on a daily basis after causing such serious offense, while her bosses can issue such shameless statements from the relative safety of the British Isles. By referring to the Armenian Genocide as "events of 1915-16" and "terrible tragedy," Mr. Rooney is repeating the denialist statements of Turkish officials. We urge the readers to write their complaints to: Mr. Sean Rooney, Eastern Dept., Foreign & Commonwealth Office, King Charles Street, London SW1A 2AH, UK; Phone: 011-44-20-7008-3828; Fax: 011-44-20-7008-2164; E-mail: sean.rooney@fco.gov.uk.

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