Tweet
TURKISH EMBASSY IN WASHINGTON STEPS UP LOBBYING AGAINST ARMENIA BILL
Anadolu Agency
Dec 21 2010
Turkey
Washington DC, 21 December 2010: Turkey's embassy in Washington DC
has intensified lobbying efforts against a possible approval of an
Armenian resolution at the US House of Representatives that calls
for the recognition of Armenian allegations over the incidents of
1915 back in the Ottoman Empire.
Diplomatic sources close to the ongoing efforts said Turkish ambassador
in Washington DC Namik Tan personally telephoned Congress members
to win their support against the resolution as the ambassador also
called former US secretaries of state and defence as well as national
security advisers.
The Turkish Embassy also had contacted officials with the US Chamber
of Commerce to have them exert pressure on Congress members and warn
them over possible damage of the resolution on business relations
between Turkey and the United States.
The resolution "H. Res. 252" - labelling the 1915 incidents which
took place shortly before the fall of the Ottoman Empire as genocide
- was approved by the Foreign Relations Committee of the US House of
Representatives by a vote of 23 against 22 last March.
The adoption of the resolution caused wide reaction in Turkey,
which recalled its ambassador, who returned to Washington, D.C. a
month later.
The resolution may come to the House floor on Tuesday on a call by
Rep. Nancy Pelosi.
From: A. Papazian
Anadolu Agency
Dec 21 2010
Turkey
Washington DC, 21 December 2010: Turkey's embassy in Washington DC
has intensified lobbying efforts against a possible approval of an
Armenian resolution at the US House of Representatives that calls
for the recognition of Armenian allegations over the incidents of
1915 back in the Ottoman Empire.
Diplomatic sources close to the ongoing efforts said Turkish ambassador
in Washington DC Namik Tan personally telephoned Congress members
to win their support against the resolution as the ambassador also
called former US secretaries of state and defence as well as national
security advisers.
The Turkish Embassy also had contacted officials with the US Chamber
of Commerce to have them exert pressure on Congress members and warn
them over possible damage of the resolution on business relations
between Turkey and the United States.
The resolution "H. Res. 252" - labelling the 1915 incidents which
took place shortly before the fall of the Ottoman Empire as genocide
- was approved by the Foreign Relations Committee of the US House of
Representatives by a vote of 23 against 22 last March.
The adoption of the resolution caused wide reaction in Turkey,
which recalled its ambassador, who returned to Washington, D.C. a
month later.
The resolution may come to the House floor on Tuesday on a call by
Rep. Nancy Pelosi.
From: A. Papazian