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US SENATORS LAUNCH NEW 'GENOCIDE' BILL
by Umit Enginsoy
Hurriyet Daily News
March 22 2012
Turkey
Two influential pro-Armenian senators have formally launched a new
effort for the passage in the U.S. Senate of an "Armenian genocide"
resolution, the Armenian Assembly of America (AAA) reported late
Tuesday. Turkish Foreign Ministry officials say Turkey would do all
it could to avoid the passage of the resolution while US diplomats
telling "US would think twice at a time when it needs Turkey on Syria
and other matters"
Bob Menendez, a Democrat from New Jersey, and Mark Kirk, a Republican
from Illinois, introduced the new "Armenian genocide" resolution,
the AAA said in a statement. Senators Barbara Boxer, a Democrat from
California, Michael Bennet, a Democrat from Colorado, Carl Levin,
a Democrat from Michigan, Joe Lieberman, and Independent from
Connecticut, Jack Reed, a Democrat from Rhode Island, and Sheldon
Whitehouse, a Democrat from Rhode Island, joined as original sponsors.
Meanwhile, Turkish Foreign Ministry officials said this was a very
negative development, and Turkey would do all it could to avoid its
passage. One foreign ministry official said, "It is obvious that the
passage of this would be very negative in terms of the development
of Turkish-American ties." One diplomatic source in Washington said
Turkey was in quite a strong position to avoid the measure again
this time. "At a time when the U.S. needs Turkey on Syria and other
matters it would think twice but it won't be the end of the world
for the Armenians. Because they actually have in mind 2015, the 100th
anniversary of what they see as the genocide."
US administration against the bill
"It is time for the United States to join the nineteen nations
including Belgium, Canada, France, Italy and the European Union that
have formally recognized the actions carried out by the Ottoman Empire
from 1915 to 1923 as genocide," Senator Menendez said.
The first step for the bill is the Senate Foreign Relations Committee,
where Menendez serves as a subcommittee chairman. This committee
is chaired by Senator John Kerry, a Democrat from Massachusetts,
who has a long record in support of the U.S. Armenian cause. If the
bill passes there, it will come to a 100-member floor vote. The U.S.
President and the administration are against the passage of such
a bill.
by Umit Enginsoy
Hurriyet Daily News
March 22 2012
Turkey
Two influential pro-Armenian senators have formally launched a new
effort for the passage in the U.S. Senate of an "Armenian genocide"
resolution, the Armenian Assembly of America (AAA) reported late
Tuesday. Turkish Foreign Ministry officials say Turkey would do all
it could to avoid the passage of the resolution while US diplomats
telling "US would think twice at a time when it needs Turkey on Syria
and other matters"
Bob Menendez, a Democrat from New Jersey, and Mark Kirk, a Republican
from Illinois, introduced the new "Armenian genocide" resolution,
the AAA said in a statement. Senators Barbara Boxer, a Democrat from
California, Michael Bennet, a Democrat from Colorado, Carl Levin,
a Democrat from Michigan, Joe Lieberman, and Independent from
Connecticut, Jack Reed, a Democrat from Rhode Island, and Sheldon
Whitehouse, a Democrat from Rhode Island, joined as original sponsors.
Meanwhile, Turkish Foreign Ministry officials said this was a very
negative development, and Turkey would do all it could to avoid its
passage. One foreign ministry official said, "It is obvious that the
passage of this would be very negative in terms of the development
of Turkish-American ties." One diplomatic source in Washington said
Turkey was in quite a strong position to avoid the measure again
this time. "At a time when the U.S. needs Turkey on Syria and other
matters it would think twice but it won't be the end of the world
for the Armenians. Because they actually have in mind 2015, the 100th
anniversary of what they see as the genocide."
US administration against the bill
"It is time for the United States to join the nineteen nations
including Belgium, Canada, France, Italy and the European Union that
have formally recognized the actions carried out by the Ottoman Empire
from 1915 to 1923 as genocide," Senator Menendez said.
The first step for the bill is the Senate Foreign Relations Committee,
where Menendez serves as a subcommittee chairman. This committee
is chaired by Senator John Kerry, a Democrat from Massachusetts,
who has a long record in support of the U.S. Armenian cause. If the
bill passes there, it will come to a 100-member floor vote. The U.S.
President and the administration are against the passage of such
a bill.