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Congressional Committee To Turkey: Return Christian Churches

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  • Congressional Committee To Turkey: Return Christian Churches

    CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE TO TURKEY: RETURN CHRISTIAN CHURCHES

    http://www.reporter.am/index.cfm?objectid=46AF7038-CDA7-11E0-87810003FF3452C2
    August 23, 2011

    Although restored in recent years, the Akhtamar church remains Turkish
    state property. Melik Baghdasarian / Photolur

    Related Articles Resolutions on Armenian church properties, Genocide
    recognition introduced

    Washington - On July 20, the House Foreign Affairs Committee
    approved the Berman-Cicilline Amendment to H. R. 2583, the State
    Department-Foreign Relations Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012,
    urging Turkey to end religious discrimination and return all Christian
    churches to their "rightful owners."

    The measure was welcomed by the Armenian Assembly of America and the
    Armenian National Committee of America, as well as the Dioceses and
    Prelacies of the Armenian Church in the United States. It was also
    supported by Greek and Assyrian community organizations.

    "This is a vote of justice against injustice," stated Archbishop Vicken
    Aykazian, Legate of the Eastern Diocese of the Armenian Church who
    was present during the committee vote. "I hope that this will be the
    first of many steps towards preserving Armenian Christian heritage
    in Turkey," said Archbishop Aykazian.

    The amendment was based on H.Res. 306, which was introduced by
    Congressmen Ed Royce (R-Calif.) and Committee's ranking member Howard
    Berman (D-Calif.) earlier this summer.

    Unlike the resolution affirming U.S. record on the Armenian Genocide
    introduced at about the same time, the "return of churches" resolution
    received the backing of the Committee's Republican Party leadership,
    including Committee Chair Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.).

    As a result, the amendment was adopted by a vote of 43-1 with several
    long-time Turkey backers and opponents of Genocide resolutions -
    including Rep. Dan Burton (R-Ind.) who in the past questioned the
    veracity of genocide - voting for the measure. Rep. Ron Paul (R-Tex.)
    was the lone vote against the amendment.

    Still, Turkish Ambassador to U.S. Namik Tan opposed the resolution,
    calling it a "back-door "Armenian genocide" resolution," USASabah.com
    reported. In his letter to members of Congress Tan noted that Turkey
    has recently been sponsoring restorations of Armenian and Greek
    religious sites.

    There has been no reaction from the Armenian government to resolution's
    adoption.

    The State Department authorization bill will be next considered
    by the full House of Representatives and then reconciled with the
    Senate version.

    The amendment formally proposed by Berman and Rep. David Cicilline
    (D-R.I.) urges "the government of Turkey to honor its obligations
    under international treaties and human rights law to -

    1) "end all forms of religious discrimination;

    2) "allow the rightful church and lay owners of Christian church
    properties, without hindrance or restriction, to organize and
    administer prayer services, religious education, clerical training,
    appointments, and succession, religious community gatherings, social
    services, including ministry to the needs of the poor and infirm,
    and other religious activities;

    3) "return to their rightful owners all Christian churches and
    other places of worship, monasteries, schools, hospitals, monuments,
    relics, holy sites, and other religious properties, including movable
    properties, such as artwork, manuscripts, vestments, vessels, and
    other artifacts; and

    4) "allow the rightful Christian church and lay owners of Christian
    church properties, without hindrance or restriction, to preserve,
    reconstruct, and repair, as they see fit, all Christian churches and
    other places of worship, monasteries, schools, hospitals, monuments,
    relics, holy sites, and other religious properties within Turkey."

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