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Armenian National Committee of America
1711 N Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036
Tel. (202) 775-1918
Fax. (202) 775-5648
[email protected]
Internet www.anca.org
PRESS RELEASE
July 28, 2010
Contact: Satenik Harutyunyan
Tel: (202) 775-1918
HOUSE PANEL SHINES SPOTLIGHT ON TURKEY
-- Bipartisan Questioning Reveals Full Scope and Depth of Turkish
Actions Aimed at Undermining U.S. Regional Priorities
WASHINGTON, DC - Republican and Democratic members of Congress
called into question Turkey's reliability as a U.S. ally,
highlighted its deteriorating relationship with Israel, and
addressed a range of issues from Armenian Genocide denial to its
repression of Christian minorities and the occupation of Cyprus,
during a three-hour House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing held
earlier today, reported the Armenian National Committee of America
(ANCA).
In his opening remarks, Chairman Howard Berman (D-CA) outlined five
policy areas concerns related to U.S.-Turkey ties, including
Ankara's efforts to enhance its standing in the Middle East by
criticizing Israel, Turkey's ties with Hamas, its denial of the
Armenian Genocide, ongoing occupation of Cyprus, and the lack of
press freedom in Turkey.
`It is critical that Turkey acknowledge the genocide committed by
the Ottoman Empire against the Armenian people during World War I,'
noted Chairman Berman. `That's why this Committee has repeatedly
passed measures recognizing the Genocide and calling on the
President to do likewise. I believe that Turks, once they come to
terms with their past, will discover that they have relieved
themselves and their children of an immense moral burden,' he
concluded.
`We want to thank Chairman Berman and Representatives Costa, Smith,
Royce, Sires, Bilirakis, Berkley, and Mack for shedding much needed
sunshine on the many failings of our government's weak response to
a leadership in Ankara that is increasingly and openly acting
against both U.S. interests and American values,' said ANCA
Executive Director Aram Hamparian.
House Foreign Affairs Committee members energetically questioned
the four panelists appearing at the hearing: Dr. Soner Cagaptay,
Senior Fellow of the Turkish Research Program at the Washington
Institute for Near East Policy; former U.S. Ambassador to Turkey
and Azerbaijan Ross Wilson; Dr. Ian Lesser, Senior Transatlantic
Fellow at The German Marshall Fund of the United States; and, Dr.
Michael Rubin, Resident Scholar at the American Enterprise
Institute and a Senior Lecturer at the Naval Postgraduate School.
The insights and analysis offered by the panelists on U.S.-Turkey
ties, while frequently critical of Turkey, included two direct
attacks on Armenian Genocide recognition. The first was by Dr.
Rubin, who, questioned the historical truth of the Armenian
Genocide; the second was by Dr. Cagaptay, who specifically urged
Congress to block U.S. affirmation of the Armenian Genocide.
Concerns about Turkey's human rights record were raised repeatedly
during the hearing. New Jersey Congressman Chris Smith noted
`Prime Minister Erdogan's denial of the Armenian Genocide has been
compounded, in my opinion, by his denial of the genocide in Darfur.
When the ICC indicted Sudanese president Omar Al-Bashir, the Prime
Minister said, `No Muslim could perpetrate genocide.' What does
that say about his judgment?' Ambassador Wilson's response to the
question was simply, `I can't try to justify any of that or defend
any of it,' sidestepping specific questions about the Armenian
Genocide.
California Republican Ed Royce described Turkey's relations with
Armenia and Greece as `very frayed,' stating that he sees `no
rapprochement' in its relationship with these countries. `Turkey's
blockade of Armenia remains intact; you still have 40,000 of its
soldiers in Cyprus. Clearly you can work out some sort of an
arrangement to take a lot of those soldiers back in Turkey,'
continued Royce. He cited the important role the U.S. can play in
pointing out Turkey's problems in an effort to identify positions
that `are in the long term interest of peace and stability in that
region of the world.'
Rep. Albio Sires (D-NJ) was blunt in his characterization of
Turkey's foreign policy in the region, stating: `Through my eyes, I
see Turkey as the bully in the corner, especially when it comes to
Cyprus, when it comes to Armenia, when it comes to even Greece at
times, and now even Israel. Is this the projection that the Turkish
people want the government to project on the world?' When
responding to the Congressman's question, none of the panelists
chose to address Turkey-Armenia relations.
Central California Democrat Jim Costa challenged Armenian Genocide
denial remarks made by Dr. Michael Rubin earlier in the hearing. `I
think there is pretty overwhelming historical consensus that it
[the Genocide] actually occurred,' explained Rep. Costa, who asked
the panelists to comment on the state of the stalled Turkey-Armenia
Protocols. Panelists called for a recommitment by both the
Armenian and Turkish governments to the effort, with Dr. Lesser
emphasizing the importance Turkey's renewed efforts `without
necessarily linking outlying issues such as Nagorno Karabagh.'
Representative Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) focused on the lack of
religious freedom in Turkey stating, `The U.S. Commission on
Religious Freedom has listed Turkey on its watch list the last two
years. In its April 2010 report that documented the persecution of
minority religions in Turkey.' Rep. Bilirakis went on to note that
`both the Greek and Armenian churches are not allowed train clergy,
I think as you know, in Turkey.' He then asked: `When will
religious tolerance become a reality in Turkey, in your opinion?'
Panel responses were varied, with Dr. Rubin stating, tersely,
`Shortly before Saudi Arabia gets religious freedom.'
Rep. Shelley Berkley shared a long array of concerns beginning with
Turkey's relationship with Israel and Iran. `Add that to the
refusal to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide, the continuous and
ever more lethal incursions into neighboring Kurdistan, the
treatment of the Ecumenical Patriarch and the extraordinary gall
for criticizing Israel when they themselves have occupied Cyprus
for 36 years, it's become increasingly evident to me that we need
to take a hard look at our relationship with Turkey, reassess
whether it is in our continuing national interest to continue it,
whether they, in fact, have our interests in mind and whether they
can continue to be thought of as truly reliable allies.'
Congressman Connie Mack of Florida was perhaps the most blunt in
his dismissal of unhindered U.S. loyalty to Turkey. `A minute ago,
we heard a question `What can we do to get Turkey back?' Give me a
break. We need a paradigm shift in this committee and in this
discussion. We are the United States of America - the land of the
free and the home of the brave. I believe it is time the
Administration takes a firm stance on the side of freedom.'
Instead, Rep. Mack suggested, the question should be `How can
Turkey get America back?' Later in the hearing, he clarified his
stance on Turkey by stating `Turkey's actions are not forgivable.'
By contrast, several Members of Congress, including Rep. Gerald
Connolly (D-VA), Michael McMahon (D-NY), William Delahunt (D-MA),
Dan Burton (R-IN), David Scott (D-GA) strived, in their remarks and
questions, to present a positive view of Turkey, in the face of
broad and growing bipartisan concerns about the Erdogan regime.
#####
From: A. Papazian
1711 N Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036
Tel. (202) 775-1918
Fax. (202) 775-5648
[email protected]
Internet www.anca.org
PRESS RELEASE
July 28, 2010
Contact: Satenik Harutyunyan
Tel: (202) 775-1918
HOUSE PANEL SHINES SPOTLIGHT ON TURKEY
-- Bipartisan Questioning Reveals Full Scope and Depth of Turkish
Actions Aimed at Undermining U.S. Regional Priorities
WASHINGTON, DC - Republican and Democratic members of Congress
called into question Turkey's reliability as a U.S. ally,
highlighted its deteriorating relationship with Israel, and
addressed a range of issues from Armenian Genocide denial to its
repression of Christian minorities and the occupation of Cyprus,
during a three-hour House Foreign Affairs Committee hearing held
earlier today, reported the Armenian National Committee of America
(ANCA).
In his opening remarks, Chairman Howard Berman (D-CA) outlined five
policy areas concerns related to U.S.-Turkey ties, including
Ankara's efforts to enhance its standing in the Middle East by
criticizing Israel, Turkey's ties with Hamas, its denial of the
Armenian Genocide, ongoing occupation of Cyprus, and the lack of
press freedom in Turkey.
`It is critical that Turkey acknowledge the genocide committed by
the Ottoman Empire against the Armenian people during World War I,'
noted Chairman Berman. `That's why this Committee has repeatedly
passed measures recognizing the Genocide and calling on the
President to do likewise. I believe that Turks, once they come to
terms with their past, will discover that they have relieved
themselves and their children of an immense moral burden,' he
concluded.
`We want to thank Chairman Berman and Representatives Costa, Smith,
Royce, Sires, Bilirakis, Berkley, and Mack for shedding much needed
sunshine on the many failings of our government's weak response to
a leadership in Ankara that is increasingly and openly acting
against both U.S. interests and American values,' said ANCA
Executive Director Aram Hamparian.
House Foreign Affairs Committee members energetically questioned
the four panelists appearing at the hearing: Dr. Soner Cagaptay,
Senior Fellow of the Turkish Research Program at the Washington
Institute for Near East Policy; former U.S. Ambassador to Turkey
and Azerbaijan Ross Wilson; Dr. Ian Lesser, Senior Transatlantic
Fellow at The German Marshall Fund of the United States; and, Dr.
Michael Rubin, Resident Scholar at the American Enterprise
Institute and a Senior Lecturer at the Naval Postgraduate School.
The insights and analysis offered by the panelists on U.S.-Turkey
ties, while frequently critical of Turkey, included two direct
attacks on Armenian Genocide recognition. The first was by Dr.
Rubin, who, questioned the historical truth of the Armenian
Genocide; the second was by Dr. Cagaptay, who specifically urged
Congress to block U.S. affirmation of the Armenian Genocide.
Concerns about Turkey's human rights record were raised repeatedly
during the hearing. New Jersey Congressman Chris Smith noted
`Prime Minister Erdogan's denial of the Armenian Genocide has been
compounded, in my opinion, by his denial of the genocide in Darfur.
When the ICC indicted Sudanese president Omar Al-Bashir, the Prime
Minister said, `No Muslim could perpetrate genocide.' What does
that say about his judgment?' Ambassador Wilson's response to the
question was simply, `I can't try to justify any of that or defend
any of it,' sidestepping specific questions about the Armenian
Genocide.
California Republican Ed Royce described Turkey's relations with
Armenia and Greece as `very frayed,' stating that he sees `no
rapprochement' in its relationship with these countries. `Turkey's
blockade of Armenia remains intact; you still have 40,000 of its
soldiers in Cyprus. Clearly you can work out some sort of an
arrangement to take a lot of those soldiers back in Turkey,'
continued Royce. He cited the important role the U.S. can play in
pointing out Turkey's problems in an effort to identify positions
that `are in the long term interest of peace and stability in that
region of the world.'
Rep. Albio Sires (D-NJ) was blunt in his characterization of
Turkey's foreign policy in the region, stating: `Through my eyes, I
see Turkey as the bully in the corner, especially when it comes to
Cyprus, when it comes to Armenia, when it comes to even Greece at
times, and now even Israel. Is this the projection that the Turkish
people want the government to project on the world?' When
responding to the Congressman's question, none of the panelists
chose to address Turkey-Armenia relations.
Central California Democrat Jim Costa challenged Armenian Genocide
denial remarks made by Dr. Michael Rubin earlier in the hearing. `I
think there is pretty overwhelming historical consensus that it
[the Genocide] actually occurred,' explained Rep. Costa, who asked
the panelists to comment on the state of the stalled Turkey-Armenia
Protocols. Panelists called for a recommitment by both the
Armenian and Turkish governments to the effort, with Dr. Lesser
emphasizing the importance Turkey's renewed efforts `without
necessarily linking outlying issues such as Nagorno Karabagh.'
Representative Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) focused on the lack of
religious freedom in Turkey stating, `The U.S. Commission on
Religious Freedom has listed Turkey on its watch list the last two
years. In its April 2010 report that documented the persecution of
minority religions in Turkey.' Rep. Bilirakis went on to note that
`both the Greek and Armenian churches are not allowed train clergy,
I think as you know, in Turkey.' He then asked: `When will
religious tolerance become a reality in Turkey, in your opinion?'
Panel responses were varied, with Dr. Rubin stating, tersely,
`Shortly before Saudi Arabia gets religious freedom.'
Rep. Shelley Berkley shared a long array of concerns beginning with
Turkey's relationship with Israel and Iran. `Add that to the
refusal to acknowledge the Armenian Genocide, the continuous and
ever more lethal incursions into neighboring Kurdistan, the
treatment of the Ecumenical Patriarch and the extraordinary gall
for criticizing Israel when they themselves have occupied Cyprus
for 36 years, it's become increasingly evident to me that we need
to take a hard look at our relationship with Turkey, reassess
whether it is in our continuing national interest to continue it,
whether they, in fact, have our interests in mind and whether they
can continue to be thought of as truly reliable allies.'
Congressman Connie Mack of Florida was perhaps the most blunt in
his dismissal of unhindered U.S. loyalty to Turkey. `A minute ago,
we heard a question `What can we do to get Turkey back?' Give me a
break. We need a paradigm shift in this committee and in this
discussion. We are the United States of America - the land of the
free and the home of the brave. I believe it is time the
Administration takes a firm stance on the side of freedom.'
Instead, Rep. Mack suggested, the question should be `How can
Turkey get America back?' Later in the hearing, he clarified his
stance on Turkey by stating `Turkey's actions are not forgivable.'
By contrast, several Members of Congress, including Rep. Gerald
Connolly (D-VA), Michael McMahon (D-NY), William Delahunt (D-MA),
Dan Burton (R-IN), David Scott (D-GA) strived, in their remarks and
questions, to present a positive view of Turkey, in the face of
broad and growing bipartisan concerns about the Erdogan regime.
#####
From: A. Papazian