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ANCA JOINS U.S. CONGRESSMEN TO BLOCK $111M SALE OF ARMS TO TURKEY
PanARMENIAN.Net
November 8, 2011 - 09:48 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net - The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA)
joined with a bipartisan group of U.S. Representatives in seeking to
block a proposed $111 million sale of U.S. arms to Turkey over Ankara's
increasingly belligerent actions against Armenia, Cyprus, and Israel.
"We join with friends of Armenia, Cyprus, Israel, and the Kurds - as
well as with all those who respect human rights and seek a sustainable
regional peace - in seeking to block arms sales to a government in
Ankara that openly boasts of using all the military resources at its
disposal to rain death upon Kurds - both within Turkey and inside the
Kurdistan Regional Government, to threaten Armenia, menace Cyprus,
and antagonize Israel," said Aram Hamparian, Executive Director of
the ANCA.
"We are deeply concerned by Turkey's increased saber rattling, its
threats against Israel, its outlook toward the European Union, its
occupation of Cyprus and its unrelenting blockade of Armenia," stated
Reps. Shelley Berkley (D-NV) and Eliot Engel (D-NY), upon introduction
of the bill. "It appears as though our long-standing ally in Ankara is
not only drifting toward confrontation with its friends and allies,
but is also cozying up to some of our most entrenched enemies. The
U.S. should be busy raising these very serious concerns with Turkey,
rather than selling arms to them."
Representatives Berkley and Engel further elaborate their concerns
in a "Dear Colleague" letter urging support for H.J.Res.83. "While
Turkey was late to distance itself from the nightmare in Syria
and has worked to gloss over the dangers of the Iranian regime, it
still refuses to apologize for the Armenian Genocide," explained the
resolution's supporters.
The sale proposed by the Obama Administration late last month would
include AH-1W Super Cobra Attack Helicopters, engines, spare parts,
training equipment, technical documentation and support services.
Under Section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act, the Administration
must notify Congress 15 days before selling arms to a NATO ally such
as Turkey, if the sale is $50 million or more. After 15 days, the sale
can be finalized, unless Congress passes legislation prohibiting or
modifying the proposed sale.
The resolution introduced by Berkley and Engel would prohibit this
sale. Cosponsors of the Berkley-Engel bill, H.J.Res.83, include Reps.
Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Michael Grimm (R-NY), Steve Israel (D-NY),
Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), James McGovern (D-MA), Frank Pallone (D-NJ),
and Ed Royce (R-CA).
From: A. Papazian
PanARMENIAN.Net
November 8, 2011 - 09:48 AMT
PanARMENIAN.Net - The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA)
joined with a bipartisan group of U.S. Representatives in seeking to
block a proposed $111 million sale of U.S. arms to Turkey over Ankara's
increasingly belligerent actions against Armenia, Cyprus, and Israel.
"We join with friends of Armenia, Cyprus, Israel, and the Kurds - as
well as with all those who respect human rights and seek a sustainable
regional peace - in seeking to block arms sales to a government in
Ankara that openly boasts of using all the military resources at its
disposal to rain death upon Kurds - both within Turkey and inside the
Kurdistan Regional Government, to threaten Armenia, menace Cyprus,
and antagonize Israel," said Aram Hamparian, Executive Director of
the ANCA.
"We are deeply concerned by Turkey's increased saber rattling, its
threats against Israel, its outlook toward the European Union, its
occupation of Cyprus and its unrelenting blockade of Armenia," stated
Reps. Shelley Berkley (D-NV) and Eliot Engel (D-NY), upon introduction
of the bill. "It appears as though our long-standing ally in Ankara is
not only drifting toward confrontation with its friends and allies,
but is also cozying up to some of our most entrenched enemies. The
U.S. should be busy raising these very serious concerns with Turkey,
rather than selling arms to them."
Representatives Berkley and Engel further elaborate their concerns
in a "Dear Colleague" letter urging support for H.J.Res.83. "While
Turkey was late to distance itself from the nightmare in Syria
and has worked to gloss over the dangers of the Iranian regime, it
still refuses to apologize for the Armenian Genocide," explained the
resolution's supporters.
The sale proposed by the Obama Administration late last month would
include AH-1W Super Cobra Attack Helicopters, engines, spare parts,
training equipment, technical documentation and support services.
Under Section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act, the Administration
must notify Congress 15 days before selling arms to a NATO ally such
as Turkey, if the sale is $50 million or more. After 15 days, the sale
can be finalized, unless Congress passes legislation prohibiting or
modifying the proposed sale.
The resolution introduced by Berkley and Engel would prohibit this
sale. Cosponsors of the Berkley-Engel bill, H.J.Res.83, include Reps.
Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Michael Grimm (R-NY), Steve Israel (D-NY),
Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), James McGovern (D-MA), Frank Pallone (D-NJ),
and Ed Royce (R-CA).
From: A. Papazian