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NEW US AMBASSADOR TO TURKEY AVOIDS CALLING THE EVENTS OF 1915 AS "GENOCIDE"
APA
July 21 2010
Azerbaijan
Washington. Isabel Levin-APA. "Rapprochement between Turkey and
Armenia will foster increased stability and prosperity in the entire
Caucasus region", Francis J. Ricciardone, US Ambassador-Designate
to the Republic of Turkey said on testimony of his nomination at the
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Panel on July, 20th.
According to APA's Washington DC correspondent, Mr. Ricciardone avoided
calling the events of 1915 as "genocide", saying that "together,
the Turkish and Armenian people will be stronger as they acknowledge
their common history and recognize their common humanity."
During the testimony Senator Robert Menendez asked how Turkey should
be navigated on its policy concerning 1915 events and normalization
process with Armenia, as well as Cyprus problem.
The new Ambassador-to-be, called the events 1915 "massacre" quoting
US President Barack Obama.
"We commended the governments of Turkey and Armenia on their signing
of the historic protocols on normalization of relations on October 10,
2009 in Zurich. Both countries publicly reiterated their commitment
to normalization this spring. The United States will continue to
urge Turkey to ratify the protocols, and we will support programs
that build understanding between Turks and Armenians" - he said.
He also assured that, Cyprus, normalization process with Armenia,
Iran, Israel, Iraq and Afghanistan issues will be main agenda during
his serve in Ankara.
Speaking about regional developments, the new US Ambassador-to-be
pointed out that, the US welcome the June 7 agreement signed by Turkey
and Azerbaijan on the gas purchase and transit of Azerbaijani gas
to Turkey.
"This agreement is an important milestone in laying the foundation
for the Southern Corridor. This corridor could include the Nabucco
pipeline, the Turkey-Greece- Italy Interconnector (ITGI), or the
Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP). Turkey would play an integral transit
role in all three pipelines. The corridor would provide commercial
benefit for the countries of the Caucasus and Central Asia and also
create a long-term partnership based on mutual interests with Europe.
Overseeing the safe passage of oil through the Bosporus Straits and
the transport of oil through the BTC pipeline, which pumps nearly a
million barrels of oil a day to the Turkish port of Ceyhan, Turkey
plays an important role in world energy markets" - he said.
Mr. Ricciardone also reminded that, building on US-Turkey close
cooperation in the 1990s that helped make Baku- Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC)
a reality, the U.S. and Turkey are working together to bring Caspian
gas to European markets for the first time through a new route called
the "Southern Corridor."
US Senator Richard Lugar from Indiana, co-chair of Committee mentioned
that Turkey remains a vital partner for the United States, despite
several recent disagreements.
"Our next ambassador must continue to develop opportunities to
reinvigorate the U.S.-Turkish alliance. One such opportunity concerns
energy security and the development of the Nabucco pipeline as a
southern energy corridor to Europe. Completion of the Nabucco project
will directly connect nations of the Caspian region, the Caucasus
and Europe, bringing energy diversification that will benefit supply,
transit, and consumer countries alike", Lugar said.
In his statement before the panel Chairman of the Committee John Kerry
also expressed his hope that the Senate can confirm Ricciardone's
nominee in the weeks ahead.
From: A. Papazian
APA
July 21 2010
Azerbaijan
Washington. Isabel Levin-APA. "Rapprochement between Turkey and
Armenia will foster increased stability and prosperity in the entire
Caucasus region", Francis J. Ricciardone, US Ambassador-Designate
to the Republic of Turkey said on testimony of his nomination at the
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Panel on July, 20th.
According to APA's Washington DC correspondent, Mr. Ricciardone avoided
calling the events of 1915 as "genocide", saying that "together,
the Turkish and Armenian people will be stronger as they acknowledge
their common history and recognize their common humanity."
During the testimony Senator Robert Menendez asked how Turkey should
be navigated on its policy concerning 1915 events and normalization
process with Armenia, as well as Cyprus problem.
The new Ambassador-to-be, called the events 1915 "massacre" quoting
US President Barack Obama.
"We commended the governments of Turkey and Armenia on their signing
of the historic protocols on normalization of relations on October 10,
2009 in Zurich. Both countries publicly reiterated their commitment
to normalization this spring. The United States will continue to
urge Turkey to ratify the protocols, and we will support programs
that build understanding between Turks and Armenians" - he said.
He also assured that, Cyprus, normalization process with Armenia,
Iran, Israel, Iraq and Afghanistan issues will be main agenda during
his serve in Ankara.
Speaking about regional developments, the new US Ambassador-to-be
pointed out that, the US welcome the June 7 agreement signed by Turkey
and Azerbaijan on the gas purchase and transit of Azerbaijani gas
to Turkey.
"This agreement is an important milestone in laying the foundation
for the Southern Corridor. This corridor could include the Nabucco
pipeline, the Turkey-Greece- Italy Interconnector (ITGI), or the
Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP). Turkey would play an integral transit
role in all three pipelines. The corridor would provide commercial
benefit for the countries of the Caucasus and Central Asia and also
create a long-term partnership based on mutual interests with Europe.
Overseeing the safe passage of oil through the Bosporus Straits and
the transport of oil through the BTC pipeline, which pumps nearly a
million barrels of oil a day to the Turkish port of Ceyhan, Turkey
plays an important role in world energy markets" - he said.
Mr. Ricciardone also reminded that, building on US-Turkey close
cooperation in the 1990s that helped make Baku- Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC)
a reality, the U.S. and Turkey are working together to bring Caspian
gas to European markets for the first time through a new route called
the "Southern Corridor."
US Senator Richard Lugar from Indiana, co-chair of Committee mentioned
that Turkey remains a vital partner for the United States, despite
several recent disagreements.
"Our next ambassador must continue to develop opportunities to
reinvigorate the U.S.-Turkish alliance. One such opportunity concerns
energy security and the development of the Nabucco pipeline as a
southern energy corridor to Europe. Completion of the Nabucco project
will directly connect nations of the Caspian region, the Caucasus
and Europe, bringing energy diversification that will benefit supply,
transit, and consumer countries alike", Lugar said.
In his statement before the panel Chairman of the Committee John Kerry
also expressed his hope that the Senate can confirm Ricciardone's
nominee in the weeks ahead.
From: A. Papazian