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  • ANKARA: US Committee Passes Resolutions Recognizing ArmenianAllegati

    US COMMITTEE PASSES RESOLUTIONS RECOGNIZING ARMENIAN ALLEGATIONS

    Journal of Turkish Weekly
    Sept 19 2005

    WASHINGTON, D.C. - The International Relations Committee of the U.S.

    House of Representatives late Thursday adopted two resolutions
    recognizing the Armenian 'genocide' allegations. The first resolution
    was adopted by 35 votes to 11, and the second was adopted 40-7.

    The International Relations Committee passed the resolutions despite
    the U.S. Department of State sending the committee a letter opposing
    this move.

    Matthew Reynolds, U.S. acting assistant secretary of state for
    legislative affairs, sent a letter to committee Chairman Henry Hyde
    saying that the U.S. administration was against the adoption of
    these resolutions.

    In his letter, Reynolds also underlined that discussion of this matter
    by the full House of Representatives was against national interests,
    would harm Turkish-U.S. relations, and hamper the development of
    relations between Ankara and Yerevan. Also, Reynolds said that the
    U.S. not only continued to support the discussion of this matter by
    scholars, diplomats, and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), but
    also aims to encourage the Turkish and Armenian governments towards
    forging economic and political dialogue.

    Reynolds also said that these resolutions would harm the U.S. and
    Turkeys' concerted efforts in the Eastern Mediterranean, Caucasus,
    Central Asia, and the Middle East. He underlined Turkey's importance
    in reinforcing democracy, tolerance, regional peace, and stability.

    "I don't believe that adoption of the resolutions would damage
    bilateral relations," replied Hyde. "Rejection of the 'genocide'
    reality can't be justified. I particularly want to stress that Turkey
    or Turkish people aren't responsible for the alleged crime. I also want
    to appreciate the Turkish government's efforts for reconciliation."

    Armenian lobby in the US argues that the 1915 communal clashes and
    other Armenian killings were 'genocide while Turkey has never accepted
    the accusations. Turkey argues that the events were a civil war and
    under the war circumstances both Turks and Armenians were killed by
    the armed groups. More than 520.000 Turkish and Kurdish were massacred
    by the Armenian armed groups during the First World War.

    Turkey was one of the first state who recognized the independent
    Armenia in 1991. However when Armenian forces occupied about 20
    percent of neighboring Azerbaijan, Turkey did not established
    diplomatic relations with Yerevan and urged Armenia to withdraw
    from the occupied territories. European Union and OSEC also urged
    Armenians to withdraw and both institutions named Armenia 'occupier'
    in Karabakh region. Turkey, Azerbaijan and Georgia have very close
    relations with the EU, US and Israel while Armenia has developed
    close relations with Russia and Iran since the independence.

    In United States there is a strong Armenian lobby and tries to affect
    the Washington's Turkey and Caucasus policies.
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