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  • BAKU: Turkish Diaspora Prevents U.S. Congress From Adopting Resoluti

    TURKISH DIASPORA PREVENTS U.S. CONGRESS FROM ADOPTING RESOLUTION ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

    Today.Az
    http://www.today.az/news/busine ss/54961.html
    Aug 25 2009
    Azerbaijan

    The political organization of Washington DC and U.S.-based Turkish
    Diaspora organizations are not accepting seriously the Armenian
    initiatives to put "Armenian genocide" on agenda of the U.S. Congress
    and that of the local human rights organizations, one of leaders of
    the Turkish Diaspora in California Karahan Mete said.

    For example, during the last several months Armenians tried to
    submit three resolutions on the so-called "genocide" to California
    local Congress, but U.S.-based Turkish organizations (TCCA, Turkish
    Defense Fund, ATAA, TAAF, PAX Turcica, TAAC, Turkuaz, TADF) managed
    to prevent it, Mete said.

    He said the State of California where Armenian and Greece Diasporas
    are dominant is the center for Armenian's anti-Turkish activities.

    Close relationship between Turkish Diaspora and Senator Darrel
    Steinberg helped to hinder implementation of draft resolution number
    AJR 14, which was dedicated to the issue of "Armenian genocide",
    and was aimed to keep the "Armenian genocide" on agenda, Mete said.

    The Turkish Diaspora also prevented Armenians' another resolution
    number SB 234, which was aimed to propaganda the "Armenian genocide"
    issue in California's schools.

    The first version of this resolution meant that any Armenian could
    go to a school and talk about what happened in 1915 to his relatives,
    Mete said.

    But in the last version (revised by the Turkish Diaspora) only those
    ones who participated in 1915 events can do these kinds of lectures
    at schools.

    "And as nearly none of the participants are alive it seems impossible,"
    told Mete.

    The third draft resolution still remains on California Senate's
    agenda under the number AB 961, and it is aimed to prohibit the
    cooperation between local government and organizations which are
    working with Turkey.

    The Turkish Diaspora is working hard in Washington DC on dismissing
    the discussion of "Armenian genocide" in the U.S. Congress during
    the upcoming fall session.

    Besides the Turkish organizations, the Congressional Caucus on Turkey
    also works closely with this issue, Congressman Ed Whitefield (Co-Chair
    of the Congressional Caucus on Turkey) office said.

    According to Congressman Whitefield's office, in an open editorial
    about U.S.-Turkey relations the law-maker says that with Turkey's
    record as such a steadfast ally to the U.S. during troubled times
    it would be a dangerous misstep to unnecessarily risk alienating
    the Turkish people. Yet, efforts are, once again, afoot in the
    U.S. Congress to label the deaths of ethnic Armenians during the
    final days of the Ottoman Empire in World War I as genocide.

    He said "This sort of proclamation, which bears no legal effect,
    would almost certainly be seen as a slap in the face to Turkey and
    a harpoon to U.S. relations with the country".

    According to Congressman, the "Armenian genocide" issue remains a
    matter of debate by historians, making it foolish, arrogant, and
    dangerous for politicians to make historical claims for political
    points".

    Ed Whitefield also adds that with the two countries (Turkey and
    Armenia) already working in step to resolve their differences and
    advance their relationship, U.S. involvement in the situation appears
    unnecessary and intrusive.
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