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ARMENIAN AND HELLENIC CAUCUS LEADERS JOIN TOGETHER IN OPPOSING MISSILE SALE TO TURKEY
ArmRadio.am
12.05.2006 10:46
The Co-Chairs of the Hellenic Caucus, Reps. Michael Bilirakis and
Carolyn Maloney, were joined today by Armenian Caucus Co-Chairman Frank
Pallone and Armenian Genocide Resolution lead sponsor George Radanovich
in calling on Congressional leaders to reexamine a controversial $162
million U.S. missile sale to Turkey.
In letters addressed to the Chairmen and Ranking Members of the
House Armed Services and International Relations Committees, the
four legislators voiced their "deep concern and opposition to the
application currently before your Committee for the foreignmilitary
sale to Turkey of 50 AGM 84K Joint Standoff Land Attack Missiles -
Expanded Response (SLAM-ER) and associated equipment and services."
Noting that Turkey has enforced an illegal blockade against Armenia
for the last twelve years, provides support to Azerbaijan against
Nagorno Karabagh, and refuses to normalize relations with Armenia,
they stressed that, "there are no safeguards in place to ensure that
the transfer of these advanced new weapons to Turkey will not be
used to threaten Armenia." Commenting on the presence of more than
40,000 Turkish military troops in the Turkish-occupied area of Cyprus,
the legislators argued that the sale would "exacerbate the already
existing military imbalance over Cyprus," and "worsen the uneasy,
insecure and disadvantaged position of the Republic of Cyprus in terms
of its defense and weapons proliferation." They closed the letter
by requesting a "thorough reexamination of all factors pertaining to
the sale" of the missiles to Turkey.
ArmRadio.am
12.05.2006 10:46
The Co-Chairs of the Hellenic Caucus, Reps. Michael Bilirakis and
Carolyn Maloney, were joined today by Armenian Caucus Co-Chairman Frank
Pallone and Armenian Genocide Resolution lead sponsor George Radanovich
in calling on Congressional leaders to reexamine a controversial $162
million U.S. missile sale to Turkey.
In letters addressed to the Chairmen and Ranking Members of the
House Armed Services and International Relations Committees, the
four legislators voiced their "deep concern and opposition to the
application currently before your Committee for the foreignmilitary
sale to Turkey of 50 AGM 84K Joint Standoff Land Attack Missiles -
Expanded Response (SLAM-ER) and associated equipment and services."
Noting that Turkey has enforced an illegal blockade against Armenia
for the last twelve years, provides support to Azerbaijan against
Nagorno Karabagh, and refuses to normalize relations with Armenia,
they stressed that, "there are no safeguards in place to ensure that
the transfer of these advanced new weapons to Turkey will not be
used to threaten Armenia." Commenting on the presence of more than
40,000 Turkish military troops in the Turkish-occupied area of Cyprus,
the legislators argued that the sale would "exacerbate the already
existing military imbalance over Cyprus," and "worsen the uneasy,
insecure and disadvantaged position of the Republic of Cyprus in terms
of its defense and weapons proliferation." They closed the letter
by requesting a "thorough reexamination of all factors pertaining to
the sale" of the missiles to Turkey.