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Date: Fri, 13 Feb 2009 14:34:20 -0800 (PST)
Subject: ANKARA: Ex Envoy: Armenians In US Stronger Than Before
EX ENVOY: ARMENIANS IN US STRONGER THAN BEFORE
Hurriyet
Feb 13 2009
Turkey
ISTANBUL - The Armenian lobby is fully mobilized and highly motivated
yet that does not mean BarackObama's administration will recognize
Armenians claims of "genocide" despite pledges made during election
campaigns, says former US ambassador to Ankara, Marc Parris
Although the Armenian lobby in Washington has worked hard to have the
1915 events recognized as "genocide", one former U.S. ambassador to
Turkey says that does not mean the White House is ready to endorse
claims.
"The bad news is that the Armenian lobby is fully mobilized, highly
motivated and in possession of unprecedentedly clear and unqualified
commitments from leading members of the new administration that the
events of 1915 will be termed 'genocide'," Mark Parris, retired
U.S. Ambassador to Ankara said late on Wednesday at a dinner in
Istanbul hosted by Turkey's International Investors Association.
U.S. President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and Secretary
of State Hillary Clinton all originally pledged that once in office
they would recognize 1915 incidents as "genocide" during the election
campaign.
The move helped them garner the support of the Armenian lobby, which
is expected to push for another legislation in congress to have their
claims recognized.
Parris, who is currently a consultant to the Washington-based Brookings
Institute, said he did not think it necessarily meant either a
resolution or a statement by the White House would be forthcoming.
Progress in Turkish - Armenian ties important "It is not a pretty
picture from where we sit tonight. At the end of the day someone
in Washington will calculate where the American interest lies and
make the case. I think there are strong and potentially compelling
arguments that can be made that this is not the time and there will
never be a proper time to approach this issue in this way," he said.
Parris said the progress in normalizing relations between Turkey and
Armenia was important for Washington.
"I understand from today's Hurriyet headlines there is something
tangible and imminent if the promises are fulfilled, which could
change the course of the discussions in Washington and we can talk
about other issues I mentioned today," he said.
Hurriyet daily reported Wednesday that Armenia and Azerbaijan reached
a partial agreement towards the solution of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict. Turkey closed its borders with Armenia over its invasion
of 20 percent of Azerbaijani territory in 1993.
PM Erdogan's Davos outburst not helpful Parris confirmed the recent
concerns in Turkey that Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's outburst
in Davos in late January could negatively effect Turkish-Jewish
lobby relations.
"I think that there is some likelihood that there will be an impact
to enthusiasm on which to address a potential action related to
the genocide. If you had read their statements you would see that
they had stressed the strategic importance of Turkey. But it would
be inaccurate for me to suggest that there will not be effects from
some of the things that were said and happened here. There might be
some consequences from that," he said.
Parris said Turkey's reaction against the Israeli operations in Gaza
highlighted "the dilemma that some in the United States see in Turkey's
more assertive regional diplomacy."
On one hand Turkey appears behind the scenes to have been an active,
creative and constructive contributor to negotiations leading to a
cease-fire, he said.
"One the other hand, some of the rhetoric here has, I fear, undermined
Ankara's hard-earned reputation for even-handedness. That has to
be considered a loss as the Obama administration considers how,
and with whom, to begin the process of re-engagement in pursuit of
lasting peace between Israel and its neighbors," he said.
Parris said the issue that was on top of Obama administration's
agenda was the economy, but he said he was confident it would meet
the challenge to ensure Turkey received the timely, senior-level
attention it merited as a country that "can help or hurt the new
administration's efforts abroad."
The Obama administration came into office with recent and clear
reminders that Turkey is very useful if Washington wants to provide
assistance to Georgia or to support or withdraw forces from Iraq or
in developing alternative supply routes for Afghanistan, said Parris.
Cooperation in energy more promissing compared to past Among the
challenges awaiting Turkey-U.S. relations, a partnership in energy
is now a more encouraging subject after the "tragic lost opportunity
of the last eight years," according to Parris.
"The hour is late. But Russia's test of wills with Ukraine last winter
could be impetus for a renewed commitment by the United States, Turkey
and Europe to overcome the petty and self-interested squabbling that
has frustrated rapid movement on Nabucco and other projects essential
to the long-term energy security of the West. And that could return
partnership on energy issues to a prominent place on the U.S.-Turkish
bilateral agenda," he said.
The new administration will find that Turkish-Russian relations
are not the same as they were eight years ago and the countries'
positions on various issues such as Iran, Iraq, Palestine and the
Black Sea security have converged, and bilateral trade relations have
mushroomed. "I'm not among those who believe Moscow will ever provide
an alternative to a strategic partnership with Washington or the West
generally. But as the Obama administration re-engages on issues like
energy security or the security and independence of former Soviet
territories like Georgia or Ukraine, it will find, I suspect, that it
cannot count on Ankara's simply following the United States's lead,
as might have been the case in the past," he said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
Subject: ANKARA: Ex Envoy: Armenians In US Stronger Than Before
EX ENVOY: ARMENIANS IN US STRONGER THAN BEFORE
Hurriyet
Feb 13 2009
Turkey
ISTANBUL - The Armenian lobby is fully mobilized and highly motivated
yet that does not mean BarackObama's administration will recognize
Armenians claims of "genocide" despite pledges made during election
campaigns, says former US ambassador to Ankara, Marc Parris
Although the Armenian lobby in Washington has worked hard to have the
1915 events recognized as "genocide", one former U.S. ambassador to
Turkey says that does not mean the White House is ready to endorse
claims.
"The bad news is that the Armenian lobby is fully mobilized, highly
motivated and in possession of unprecedentedly clear and unqualified
commitments from leading members of the new administration that the
events of 1915 will be termed 'genocide'," Mark Parris, retired
U.S. Ambassador to Ankara said late on Wednesday at a dinner in
Istanbul hosted by Turkey's International Investors Association.
U.S. President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden and Secretary
of State Hillary Clinton all originally pledged that once in office
they would recognize 1915 incidents as "genocide" during the election
campaign.
The move helped them garner the support of the Armenian lobby, which
is expected to push for another legislation in congress to have their
claims recognized.
Parris, who is currently a consultant to the Washington-based Brookings
Institute, said he did not think it necessarily meant either a
resolution or a statement by the White House would be forthcoming.
Progress in Turkish - Armenian ties important "It is not a pretty
picture from where we sit tonight. At the end of the day someone
in Washington will calculate where the American interest lies and
make the case. I think there are strong and potentially compelling
arguments that can be made that this is not the time and there will
never be a proper time to approach this issue in this way," he said.
Parris said the progress in normalizing relations between Turkey and
Armenia was important for Washington.
"I understand from today's Hurriyet headlines there is something
tangible and imminent if the promises are fulfilled, which could
change the course of the discussions in Washington and we can talk
about other issues I mentioned today," he said.
Hurriyet daily reported Wednesday that Armenia and Azerbaijan reached
a partial agreement towards the solution of the Nagorno-Karabakh
conflict. Turkey closed its borders with Armenia over its invasion
of 20 percent of Azerbaijani territory in 1993.
PM Erdogan's Davos outburst not helpful Parris confirmed the recent
concerns in Turkey that Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's outburst
in Davos in late January could negatively effect Turkish-Jewish
lobby relations.
"I think that there is some likelihood that there will be an impact
to enthusiasm on which to address a potential action related to
the genocide. If you had read their statements you would see that
they had stressed the strategic importance of Turkey. But it would
be inaccurate for me to suggest that there will not be effects from
some of the things that were said and happened here. There might be
some consequences from that," he said.
Parris said Turkey's reaction against the Israeli operations in Gaza
highlighted "the dilemma that some in the United States see in Turkey's
more assertive regional diplomacy."
On one hand Turkey appears behind the scenes to have been an active,
creative and constructive contributor to negotiations leading to a
cease-fire, he said.
"One the other hand, some of the rhetoric here has, I fear, undermined
Ankara's hard-earned reputation for even-handedness. That has to
be considered a loss as the Obama administration considers how,
and with whom, to begin the process of re-engagement in pursuit of
lasting peace between Israel and its neighbors," he said.
Parris said the issue that was on top of Obama administration's
agenda was the economy, but he said he was confident it would meet
the challenge to ensure Turkey received the timely, senior-level
attention it merited as a country that "can help or hurt the new
administration's efforts abroad."
The Obama administration came into office with recent and clear
reminders that Turkey is very useful if Washington wants to provide
assistance to Georgia or to support or withdraw forces from Iraq or
in developing alternative supply routes for Afghanistan, said Parris.
Cooperation in energy more promissing compared to past Among the
challenges awaiting Turkey-U.S. relations, a partnership in energy
is now a more encouraging subject after the "tragic lost opportunity
of the last eight years," according to Parris.
"The hour is late. But Russia's test of wills with Ukraine last winter
could be impetus for a renewed commitment by the United States, Turkey
and Europe to overcome the petty and self-interested squabbling that
has frustrated rapid movement on Nabucco and other projects essential
to the long-term energy security of the West. And that could return
partnership on energy issues to a prominent place on the U.S.-Turkish
bilateral agenda," he said.
The new administration will find that Turkish-Russian relations
are not the same as they were eight years ago and the countries'
positions on various issues such as Iran, Iraq, Palestine and the
Black Sea security have converged, and bilateral trade relations have
mushroomed. "I'm not among those who believe Moscow will ever provide
an alternative to a strategic partnership with Washington or the West
generally. But as the Obama administration re-engages on issues like
energy security or the security and independence of former Soviet
territories like Georgia or Ukraine, it will find, I suspect, that it
cannot count on Ankara's simply following the United States's lead,
as might have been the case in the past," he said.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress