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Sen. Kirk Presses for More Scrutiny of Obama's Pick of Turkey Envoy
Saturday, September 6th, 2014
http://asbarez.com/126706/sen-kirk-presses-for-more-scrutiny-of-obamas-pick-of-turkey-envoy/
by Ara Khachatourian
Republican senator from Illinois, Mark Kirk
Seeks Clarity on U.S. Policy on Armenian Genocide and Efforts to
Secure Turkey's Return of Stolen Christian Church Properties
WASHINGTON-With the Senate scheduled to resume session on September 8,
Illinois Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL) has submitted five pointed questions
to U.S. Ambassador to Turkey nominee John Bass in order to bring
much-needed clarity to U.S. policy on both the Armenian Genocide and
the growing movement to secure Turkey's return of stolen Christian
churches and religious properties, reported the Armenian National
Committee of America.
The complete text of Senator Kirk's five questions is provided below.
"We want to thank Senator Kirk for shining much-needed sunlight on
Ambassador-designate Bass's nomination and, more broadly, for
requiring that the Administration provide clear responses to simple,
straightforward questions about the Armenian Genocide and the return
of stolen Christian church properties by Turkey," said ANCA Executive
Director Aram Hamparian. "We look forward to sharing the responses to
Senator Kirk's questions as soon as they are made publicly available."
In July, the ANCA welcomed the U.S. Senate's decision to recess for
August without confirming Ambassador-designate Bass as a meaningful
opportunity for both Senators and American civil society to review
both his positions as well as the broader issues rapidly reshaping the
U.S.-Turkey relationship.
In his formal testimony, Ambassador Designate Bass used inaccurate and
offensive euphemisms, such as "shared history," to avoid properly
characterizing the Armenian Genocide, and praised Turkish Prime
Minister Erdogan's cynical repacking of genocide denial in his April
23rd "condolence" open letter to Armenians.
In addition to Senator Kirk, Senate Foreign Relations Committee
Chairman Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and
Ed Markey (D-MA) had questioned Ambassador Bass on U.S. policy on the
Armenian Genocide, Turkey's ongoing blockade of Armenia and efforts to
secure the return of confiscated Christian holy sites from Turkey.
Sen. Mark Kirk: Questions for the Record to
The Honorable John Bass, U.S. Ambassador-Designate to the Republic of Turkey
During your testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on
July 15, 2014, you stated: "The U.S. government acknowledges as
historical fact and mourns that 1.5 million Armenians were massacred
or marched to their death in the final days of the Ottoman Empire."
a) Can you clarify and expand on your statement to clearly indicate
the party or parties responsible for perpetrating the murder of 1.5
million Armenians?
b) Would you agree with the European Union and 11 of our NATO allies,
all of which have officially designated these atrocities as the
Armenian Genocide?
c) As Ambassador, would you support the rights of the heirs of those
killed during the Armenian Genocide to seek compensation from the
Republic of Turkey?
During your testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on
July 15, 2014, you stated: "If confirmed, I will encourage the Turkish
government to follow through on the return of religious minority
properties and to take additional steps to promote religious freedom,
such as allowing more religious communities to own property, register
their places of worship, and train clergy."
a) Could you expand and clarify on what specific actions you plan to
undertake? Will you raise this issue at the highest levels of the
Turkish government?
b) Are you satisfied with the actions the State Department and our
Embassy in Ankara has taken to date to convince Turkey to restore
Christian religious property to its rightful owners?
Saturday, September 6th, 2014
http://asbarez.com/126706/sen-kirk-presses-for-more-scrutiny-of-obamas-pick-of-turkey-envoy/
by Ara Khachatourian
Republican senator from Illinois, Mark Kirk
Seeks Clarity on U.S. Policy on Armenian Genocide and Efforts to
Secure Turkey's Return of Stolen Christian Church Properties
WASHINGTON-With the Senate scheduled to resume session on September 8,
Illinois Senator Mark Kirk (R-IL) has submitted five pointed questions
to U.S. Ambassador to Turkey nominee John Bass in order to bring
much-needed clarity to U.S. policy on both the Armenian Genocide and
the growing movement to secure Turkey's return of stolen Christian
churches and religious properties, reported the Armenian National
Committee of America.
The complete text of Senator Kirk's five questions is provided below.
"We want to thank Senator Kirk for shining much-needed sunlight on
Ambassador-designate Bass's nomination and, more broadly, for
requiring that the Administration provide clear responses to simple,
straightforward questions about the Armenian Genocide and the return
of stolen Christian church properties by Turkey," said ANCA Executive
Director Aram Hamparian. "We look forward to sharing the responses to
Senator Kirk's questions as soon as they are made publicly available."
In July, the ANCA welcomed the U.S. Senate's decision to recess for
August without confirming Ambassador-designate Bass as a meaningful
opportunity for both Senators and American civil society to review
both his positions as well as the broader issues rapidly reshaping the
U.S.-Turkey relationship.
In his formal testimony, Ambassador Designate Bass used inaccurate and
offensive euphemisms, such as "shared history," to avoid properly
characterizing the Armenian Genocide, and praised Turkish Prime
Minister Erdogan's cynical repacking of genocide denial in his April
23rd "condolence" open letter to Armenians.
In addition to Senator Kirk, Senate Foreign Relations Committee
Chairman Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA) and
Ed Markey (D-MA) had questioned Ambassador Bass on U.S. policy on the
Armenian Genocide, Turkey's ongoing blockade of Armenia and efforts to
secure the return of confiscated Christian holy sites from Turkey.
Sen. Mark Kirk: Questions for the Record to
The Honorable John Bass, U.S. Ambassador-Designate to the Republic of Turkey
During your testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on
July 15, 2014, you stated: "The U.S. government acknowledges as
historical fact and mourns that 1.5 million Armenians were massacred
or marched to their death in the final days of the Ottoman Empire."
a) Can you clarify and expand on your statement to clearly indicate
the party or parties responsible for perpetrating the murder of 1.5
million Armenians?
b) Would you agree with the European Union and 11 of our NATO allies,
all of which have officially designated these atrocities as the
Armenian Genocide?
c) As Ambassador, would you support the rights of the heirs of those
killed during the Armenian Genocide to seek compensation from the
Republic of Turkey?
During your testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on
July 15, 2014, you stated: "If confirmed, I will encourage the Turkish
government to follow through on the return of religious minority
properties and to take additional steps to promote religious freedom,
such as allowing more religious communities to own property, register
their places of worship, and train clergy."
a) Could you expand and clarify on what specific actions you plan to
undertake? Will you raise this issue at the highest levels of the
Turkish government?
b) Are you satisfied with the actions the State Department and our
Embassy in Ankara has taken to date to convince Turkey to restore
Christian religious property to its rightful owners?