A political action initiative by a coalition of Armenian Americans has drawn praise and thanks from front-running U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama in a text that affirms the Armenian Genocide.

A letter signed by Obama addressed to Anthony Barsamian, a leading campaigner for Armenian Americans for Obama (www.armenianamericansforobama.com) expressed the Illinois senator’s appreciation and held hints that an Obama-Biden administration would be sympathetic to the Armenian cause of genocide recognition.

“I’m pleased to have the support and endorsement for the Obama-Biden ticket of people like Former U.S. Ambassador to Armenia John M. Evans, who was fired after he used the term ‘genocide’ to describe Turkey’s slaughter of thousands of Armenians starting in 1915,” says the letter. “Joe Biden and I believe that the Armenian Genocide is not an allegation, a personal opinion, or a point of view, but rather a widely documented fact supported by an overwhelming body of historical evidence.” (Click here to read the letter.)

The Obama-Biden campaign rhetoric follows a pattern of U.S. presidential hopefuls’ promises that were left unfulfilled once the elections passed. Still, Barsamian, chair of Public Affairs for the Armenian Assembly of America, says the Democratic ticket is a clear choice for voters concerned with issues relating to Armenia-U.S. relations and the Genocide recognition specifically.

“This is a historic opportunity to have leadership in Washington who understand the importance of strengthening the US/Armenia Relations, safeguarding Armenia and Nagorno Karabakh, and building regional integration with full acknowledgement of the Armenian Genocide and the future threat to Armenia’s security and well being,” said Barsamian, whose action group includes leading names in Diaspora assistance to and involvement in Armenia, including:

Carolyn Mugar (President of the Armenian Assembly of America and founder of the Armenia Tree Project), Carolann Najarian (physician, who was among the first Diaspora to begin volunteer medical service to Armenia), Roger Ohanesian (ophthalmologist, founder of the Armenian Eye Care Project) , Mark Momjian (former Assembly director, and attorney from Philadelphia and classmate of Barack Obama at Columbia), Roger Strauch (Foundation to help Disabled in Armenia and Assembly Life Trustee), Dick Harpootlian (Former Democratic State Chair for South Carolina), Michael and David Kasparian (New Jersey developers and on the national finance committee for Obama) and Sarah Morgenthau, (Great-granddaughter of Ambassador Morgenthau and leader of Women for Obama).

A second Armenian-American action group campaigning for Obama, Armenians For Obama (www.armeniansforobama.com), with ties to the Armenian National Committee of America, attributes a quote on its website to Obama that, if proved to be more than campaign talk, would surely put Obama at the top of Armenian interests.

“America deserves a leader who speaks truthfully about the Armenian Genocide and responds forcefully to all genocides. I intend to be that President,” says the quote from a statement to the ANCA, next to the famously smiling candidate.

With one week left before the November 4 U.S. election the Obama-Biden ticket holds a modest lead over the team of Arizona Senator John McCain and Alaska Governor Sarah Palin.