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CLINTON KEYNOTES AT GENOCIDE DENIERS' CONFERENCE
BY ARA KHACHATOURIAN
asbarez
Tuesday, November 1st, 2011
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was the keynote speaker Monday
at the annual conference on U.S.-Turkey relations organized by the
notorious Genocide denier group the American-Turkish Council.
While the American-Turkish Council mainly promotes business relations
between the two countries, it has taken a significant role in lobbying
for the defeat of Armenian Genocide recognition efforts in Congress.
In her remarks, Clinton not only extolled the virtues and importance
of US-Turkey relations, but went on to welcome "Turkey's growing
role in the region and on the world stage," after acknowledging that
Turks and Americans alike have begun questioning the viability and
durability of US-Turkish relations.
Of course, she used the opportunity to once again discuss the
importance of the State-Department engineered dangerous Armenia-Turkey
protocols by urging Turkey to ratify the documents.
"Improving relations between Turkey and Armenia would be a positive
step, and we hope that the Turkish parliament will ratify the protocols
during its current session and normalize ties with Armenia.
These festering conflicts hold back progress and development in
the region. Reducing tensions with neighbors, increasing stability,
is a recipe for expanded growth and influence," she asserted.
Emphasizing a similar message, Assistant Secretary for Bureau of
European and Eurasian Affairs Philip Gordon said the US continued to
exert pressure for sides to ratify the protocols.
The important aspect is not the message delivered but the message
sent. Despite overtures to Armenia's leadership and claims that
the Obama Administration has done more for Armenia than any other
administration, the US staunchly and unequivocally remains a supporter
of Turkish interests, including on the matter of Turkey's continued
denial of the Armenian Genocide.
[The sad reality of this equation is that the Armenian authorities have
also bought into this charade with Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian
constantly enumerating the number of meetings and phone calls he has
had with Clinton and other US officials.]
If she were such a staunch supporter of Genocide recognition,
as both she and president Obama claimed during their presidential
bids, to a point that she was compelled to make that now historic
"personal" visit to Dzidzernagapert last year, she could have used
the opportunity at the ATC conference to urge Turkey and the Turks
to come to grips with their past and acknowledge history. She did
take time to urge Turkey to protect minority rights, end corruption
and ensure the freedom of press. It seems acknowledging the Genocide
does not fall in the human rights agenda for Secretary Clinton.
Since Clinton took office, she has not met with any Armenian
organization. In 2009, she insisted on meeting with several Armenian
organizations with the express aim of discussing-peddling-the
Turkey-Armenia protocols. After rescheduling several times, the
meeting was postponed due to a massive blizzard in Washington. Not
only did that snow melt, but Washington has had two more winters since
then. But, the meeting with the Armenian community is still on ice.
This continued courtship of Turkey and bowing to pressure of
organizations such as the ATC further demonstrates that the Obama
Administration is very comfortable with the gag rule imposed by
Turkey. She is right to point out that Turkey owes its economic
prosperity to the US, but fails to mention that the dividends of that
relationship dictate its actions and not the interests of US citizens.
From: Baghdasarian
BY ARA KHACHATOURIAN
asbarez
Tuesday, November 1st, 2011
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was the keynote speaker Monday
at the annual conference on U.S.-Turkey relations organized by the
notorious Genocide denier group the American-Turkish Council.
While the American-Turkish Council mainly promotes business relations
between the two countries, it has taken a significant role in lobbying
for the defeat of Armenian Genocide recognition efforts in Congress.
In her remarks, Clinton not only extolled the virtues and importance
of US-Turkey relations, but went on to welcome "Turkey's growing
role in the region and on the world stage," after acknowledging that
Turks and Americans alike have begun questioning the viability and
durability of US-Turkish relations.
Of course, she used the opportunity to once again discuss the
importance of the State-Department engineered dangerous Armenia-Turkey
protocols by urging Turkey to ratify the documents.
"Improving relations between Turkey and Armenia would be a positive
step, and we hope that the Turkish parliament will ratify the protocols
during its current session and normalize ties with Armenia.
These festering conflicts hold back progress and development in
the region. Reducing tensions with neighbors, increasing stability,
is a recipe for expanded growth and influence," she asserted.
Emphasizing a similar message, Assistant Secretary for Bureau of
European and Eurasian Affairs Philip Gordon said the US continued to
exert pressure for sides to ratify the protocols.
The important aspect is not the message delivered but the message
sent. Despite overtures to Armenia's leadership and claims that
the Obama Administration has done more for Armenia than any other
administration, the US staunchly and unequivocally remains a supporter
of Turkish interests, including on the matter of Turkey's continued
denial of the Armenian Genocide.
[The sad reality of this equation is that the Armenian authorities have
also bought into this charade with Foreign Minister Eduard Nalbandian
constantly enumerating the number of meetings and phone calls he has
had with Clinton and other US officials.]
If she were such a staunch supporter of Genocide recognition,
as both she and president Obama claimed during their presidential
bids, to a point that she was compelled to make that now historic
"personal" visit to Dzidzernagapert last year, she could have used
the opportunity at the ATC conference to urge Turkey and the Turks
to come to grips with their past and acknowledge history. She did
take time to urge Turkey to protect minority rights, end corruption
and ensure the freedom of press. It seems acknowledging the Genocide
does not fall in the human rights agenda for Secretary Clinton.
Since Clinton took office, she has not met with any Armenian
organization. In 2009, she insisted on meeting with several Armenian
organizations with the express aim of discussing-peddling-the
Turkey-Armenia protocols. After rescheduling several times, the
meeting was postponed due to a massive blizzard in Washington. Not
only did that snow melt, but Washington has had two more winters since
then. But, the meeting with the Armenian community is still on ice.
This continued courtship of Turkey and bowing to pressure of
organizations such as the ATC further demonstrates that the Obama
Administration is very comfortable with the gag rule imposed by
Turkey. She is right to point out that Turkey owes its economic
prosperity to the US, but fails to mention that the dividends of that
relationship dictate its actions and not the interests of US citizens.
From: Baghdasarian