U.S. House foreign affairs committee adopts Armenian genocide resolution
11.10.2007,
19:06
With a vote of 27 to 21, the influential panel of the U.S. House of Representatives took a major step toward ending US complicity in Turkey's denial of the Armenian Genocide, adopting Resolution 106.
YEREVAN, October 11. /ARKA/. With a vote of 27 to 21, the influential panel of the U.S. House of Representatives took a major step toward ending US complicity in Turkey's denial of the Armenian Genocide, adopting Resolution 106, the Armenian Genocide, over in intense campaign of threats and intimidation by the Turkish government and its lobbyists in Washington, DC, reported the RIA Novosti. The Committee decision opens the way for full house consideration of the measure.
The Congress calls on the US President to characterize massacres of half million Armenians as Genocide in his annual message on April 24, on the anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.
Three hours before the committee meeting, US President George Bush called on the Congressmen to vote against the Resolution.
According to Bush, the Unites States regrets about the tragic sufferings of Armenians in 1915, but this resolution is not a right answer to massacres as part of history and its adoption would spoil the US relations with their key NATO ally and the global war against terror.
According to the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA), the largest Armenian-Diasporan organization in the USA, during his pre-election campaign, Bush promised to recognize the Armenian Genocide. However, becoming US President, he did not keep his promise.
The co-authors of the Resolution are 266 Congressmen, which is enough for its adoption.
Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Palocy informed through her press secretary that she would submit the Resolution for voting during the current meeting of the Congress in case the House Affairs Committee votes in support of the measure.
Committed by the Ottoman Turkey in 1915-1923, the Armenian Genocide took lives of over 2 million Armenians. About 1.5 million men, women and children were massacred, and 500,000 survivors lost their home. As a result of which, Armenians lost their homeland where they had been living over 2,500 years and spread around the world, according to the document of the Resolution.
The Resolution reminds that on May 24, 1915 the allies (Great Britain, France, Russia) in a joint report blamed the Turkish Government in committing a crime against humanity.
The Resolution is voluntary, does not have a legal effect and is not obligatory for the US President. However, this is a rather significant document of international importance.
The reading of Resolution 106 by the US Congress displeased the Turkish Government. Calling the US President last Friday, Turkey’s Premier Erdoghan warned Bush that the adoption of the Resolution might have a negative effect on the US-Turkish relations. In his letter to the US Government, Turkey’s President Abdullah Gyul warned Bush about the “serious problems” in case the measure was supported.
Turkey might prevent the US access to the Turkish air forces base Injirlik. The latter plays a crucial role in the military operations on the US air forces against Kurdish separatists in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Washington Post reports.
Concerning the adoption of the Resolution, the Turkish Embassy in the USA made an official statement, warning US citizens about possible protest marches and anti-American activities in Turkey.
In this connection, the US State Department calls on US citizens in Turkey to be cautious and avoid places of anti-American protests.
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and US Defense Minister Robert Gates sent yesterday a letter to the Congress, stating that the adoption of the Resolution on the Armenian Genocide will “put US national security under the threat.”
The eight former secretaries of state, including Henry Kissinger, Collin Powel, Madeline Albright, James Baker and others were also against the adoption of the Resolution.
Resolutions on the Armenian Genocide were approved in the Committee and the issue was even introduced twice to the House of Representatives. However, the Resolution was not adopted.
Being against the adoption of the Resolution, Republican Congressman Dan Barton reminded yesterday that the Turkish Government broke off its relations with France, since the latter adopted last year the Resolution on the Armenian Genocide. “Security of the Middle East is at stake,” Barton said.
US Defense Minister Robert Gates said Wednesday the adoption of the Resolution will put the US interests in the region under the threat, as about 70% of military goods and 30% of fuel for the US forces in Iraq are supplied though Turkey’s air forces.
Congressman Democrat James Costa who supported the Resolution called on Congressmen not to dramatize the situation over Turkish threats and brought Russia as an example.
“After Russia recognized in 1995 the (Turkish) Genocide, its trade turnover with Turkey increased by 351%,” he said. –0--
The Congress calls on the US President to characterize massacres of half million Armenians as Genocide in his annual message on April 24, on the anniversary of the Armenian Genocide.
Three hours before the committee meeting, US President George Bush called on the Congressmen to vote against the Resolution.
According to Bush, the Unites States regrets about the tragic sufferings of Armenians in 1915, but this resolution is not a right answer to massacres as part of history and its adoption would spoil the US relations with their key NATO ally and the global war against terror.
According to the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA), the largest Armenian-Diasporan organization in the USA, during his pre-election campaign, Bush promised to recognize the Armenian Genocide. However, becoming US President, he did not keep his promise.
The co-authors of the Resolution are 266 Congressmen, which is enough for its adoption.
Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Palocy informed through her press secretary that she would submit the Resolution for voting during the current meeting of the Congress in case the House Affairs Committee votes in support of the measure.
Committed by the Ottoman Turkey in 1915-1923, the Armenian Genocide took lives of over 2 million Armenians. About 1.5 million men, women and children were massacred, and 500,000 survivors lost their home. As a result of which, Armenians lost their homeland where they had been living over 2,500 years and spread around the world, according to the document of the Resolution.
The Resolution reminds that on May 24, 1915 the allies (Great Britain, France, Russia) in a joint report blamed the Turkish Government in committing a crime against humanity.
The Resolution is voluntary, does not have a legal effect and is not obligatory for the US President. However, this is a rather significant document of international importance.
The reading of Resolution 106 by the US Congress displeased the Turkish Government. Calling the US President last Friday, Turkey’s Premier Erdoghan warned Bush that the adoption of the Resolution might have a negative effect on the US-Turkish relations. In his letter to the US Government, Turkey’s President Abdullah Gyul warned Bush about the “serious problems” in case the measure was supported.
Turkey might prevent the US access to the Turkish air forces base Injirlik. The latter plays a crucial role in the military operations on the US air forces against Kurdish separatists in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Washington Post reports.
Concerning the adoption of the Resolution, the Turkish Embassy in the USA made an official statement, warning US citizens about possible protest marches and anti-American activities in Turkey.
In this connection, the US State Department calls on US citizens in Turkey to be cautious and avoid places of anti-American protests.
US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and US Defense Minister Robert Gates sent yesterday a letter to the Congress, stating that the adoption of the Resolution on the Armenian Genocide will “put US national security under the threat.”
The eight former secretaries of state, including Henry Kissinger, Collin Powel, Madeline Albright, James Baker and others were also against the adoption of the Resolution.
Resolutions on the Armenian Genocide were approved in the Committee and the issue was even introduced twice to the House of Representatives. However, the Resolution was not adopted.
Being against the adoption of the Resolution, Republican Congressman Dan Barton reminded yesterday that the Turkish Government broke off its relations with France, since the latter adopted last year the Resolution on the Armenian Genocide. “Security of the Middle East is at stake,” Barton said.
US Defense Minister Robert Gates said Wednesday the adoption of the Resolution will put the US interests in the region under the threat, as about 70% of military goods and 30% of fuel for the US forces in Iraq are supplied though Turkey’s air forces.
Congressman Democrat James Costa who supported the Resolution called on Congressmen not to dramatize the situation over Turkish threats and brought Russia as an example.
“After Russia recognized in 1995 the (Turkish) Genocide, its trade turnover with Turkey increased by 351%,” he said. –0--
