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US RESOLUTION SEEKS TO RESOLVE TURKEY-ARMENIA RELATIONS VOID OF GENOCIDE CLAIMS
Daily Sabah, Turkey
April 3 2015
AYÅ~^E Å~^AHIN
ISTANBUL
A U.S. lawmaker plans to introduce a bill asking the administration
of President Barack Obama to designate a task force to pursue the
amelioration of sour relations between Turkey and Armenia based on
the common interests of the two countries. The proposed bill was
mentioned by its sponsor, Republican Congressman Carl Clawson, on
Thursday. It represents a landmark step since it signifies the first
concrete move that is not detrimental to Turkey regarding the 1915
incidents, ahead of its centennial commemoration.
It is the first time such a draft bill, which aims to be constructive
for Turkish-Armenian relations, has been proposed. It is significant
since it differs in language to the bill currently in committee, which
"Call[s] on the president to work toward equitable, constructive,
stable and durable Armenian-Turkish relations based upon the Republic
of Turkey's full acknowledgment of the facts and ongoing consequences
of the Armenian Genocide, and a fair, just, and comprehensive
international resolution of this crime against humanity." The new
bill, which has yet to be introduced, has been prepared in deference
to Turkey and its definition of the 1915 incidents, which has long
been used as a means for the Armenian diaspora to generate political
tension against Turkey. The proposed bill has been stripped of any
mention of the Armenian genocide, highlighting its restraint from
taking sides in a matter that has become overly politicized.
Turkish-Armenian relations have remained strained for decades due to
Armenia's constant demand for Turkey, as well as other countries,
to officially accept the mass forced deportations of Armenians to
Anatolia during World War I as genocide. The latest in a series of
such demands from the U.S government came when a bipartisan group
of congressmen introduced an Armenian-lobby-backed Armenian Genocide
Truth and Justice Resolution in mid-March. Republican Adam Schiff said
that the draft resolution, if passed by Congress, would officially
recognize the Armenian genocide and call upon Obama to work with the
Turkish and Armenian governments to bring about reconciliation based
on full acknowledgment of the historic fact of the Armenian genocide.
However, the Obama administration, which had pledged to acknowledge
the incidents as genocide before he was elected, refrained from doing
so during his term for fear of falling out with Turkey, a close ally
of the U.S.
Clawson, in a letter he wrote to garner the support of congressmen,
recalled that Turkey, a NATO member, had supported the West in its
victory in the Cold War by allowing use of its military bases.
"Turkey and Armenia are very important to American interests,"
Clawson wrote in a letter to House colleagues in a bid to muster
support for his resolution that seeks to find a settlement between
the two countries. "U.S interests [in the region] can be enhanced by
both countries acting to cultivate peace and understanding."
Clawson also said that the U.S has been attempting to enhance ties
between the two countries since 2009, but has thus far failed to do
so. He also added that Turkey, given its geographical location, is
a significant partner in the fight against extremism, a partnership
that is growing particularly valuable given deepening relations of the
countries in the region with Iran and Russia, which are diminishing
U.S power there.
Derya TaÅ~_kın, president of the New York-based Turkish Institute
for Progress, has said the move is historic for being unprecedented,
adding that the Turkish Institute for Progress is also working to help
thaw Turkish-Armenian relations. She also said Clawson has underscored
the necessity of pondering the next hundred years instead of the past
to mend Turkey-Armenia relations.
Turkish officials have been exerting considerable efforts to improve
relations with Armenia by reinstating rights and confiscated property
that had been taken from them since the founding of the Republic,
after decades of apathy. Steps have also been taken to provide them
with representation in Parliament.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also made an attempt to thaw tensions
between the two countries by issuing a message ahead of the 99th year
commemoration of the 1915 incidents last year. In an unprecedented
move, while he was prime minister, Erdogan extended condolences to
the grandchildren of Armenians who lost their lives in the 1915 events.
However Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, in a purported refusal to
reconcile with Turkey, said he had withdrawn the peace accords with
Turkey from parliament.
The two countries' then foreign ministers, Ahmet Davutoglu and Eduard
Nalbandyan, had signed protocols to establish diplomatic ties between
their respective countries in 2009 in Switzerland. Mediated by the
U.S., the protocol had presupposed the opening of the border between
Turkey and Armenia, but it was failed to be ratified.
Following the incident, Erdogan complained that Armenia had failed to
reciprocate Turkish peace efforts, but said that Ankara will still
pursue a settlement with Armenia. Foreign Ministry Spokesman Tanju
Bilgic also said: "Turkey will remain committed to the normalization
process it pursues as the main purpose of the protocols."
The official Turkish government stance on the claims of genocide is
that it acknowledges that a tragedy occurred with great suffering on
the part of the Armenians, but that Muslim Turks also suffered during
the event. They have repeatedly called on Armenia to check unbiased
historical sources to bring the matter to light.
http://www.dailysabah.com/politics/2015/04/02/us-resolution-seeks-to-resolve-turkeyarmenia-relations-void-of-genocide-claims
Daily Sabah, Turkey
April 3 2015
AYÅ~^E Å~^AHIN
ISTANBUL
A U.S. lawmaker plans to introduce a bill asking the administration
of President Barack Obama to designate a task force to pursue the
amelioration of sour relations between Turkey and Armenia based on
the common interests of the two countries. The proposed bill was
mentioned by its sponsor, Republican Congressman Carl Clawson, on
Thursday. It represents a landmark step since it signifies the first
concrete move that is not detrimental to Turkey regarding the 1915
incidents, ahead of its centennial commemoration.
It is the first time such a draft bill, which aims to be constructive
for Turkish-Armenian relations, has been proposed. It is significant
since it differs in language to the bill currently in committee, which
"Call[s] on the president to work toward equitable, constructive,
stable and durable Armenian-Turkish relations based upon the Republic
of Turkey's full acknowledgment of the facts and ongoing consequences
of the Armenian Genocide, and a fair, just, and comprehensive
international resolution of this crime against humanity." The new
bill, which has yet to be introduced, has been prepared in deference
to Turkey and its definition of the 1915 incidents, which has long
been used as a means for the Armenian diaspora to generate political
tension against Turkey. The proposed bill has been stripped of any
mention of the Armenian genocide, highlighting its restraint from
taking sides in a matter that has become overly politicized.
Turkish-Armenian relations have remained strained for decades due to
Armenia's constant demand for Turkey, as well as other countries,
to officially accept the mass forced deportations of Armenians to
Anatolia during World War I as genocide. The latest in a series of
such demands from the U.S government came when a bipartisan group
of congressmen introduced an Armenian-lobby-backed Armenian Genocide
Truth and Justice Resolution in mid-March. Republican Adam Schiff said
that the draft resolution, if passed by Congress, would officially
recognize the Armenian genocide and call upon Obama to work with the
Turkish and Armenian governments to bring about reconciliation based
on full acknowledgment of the historic fact of the Armenian genocide.
However, the Obama administration, which had pledged to acknowledge
the incidents as genocide before he was elected, refrained from doing
so during his term for fear of falling out with Turkey, a close ally
of the U.S.
Clawson, in a letter he wrote to garner the support of congressmen,
recalled that Turkey, a NATO member, had supported the West in its
victory in the Cold War by allowing use of its military bases.
"Turkey and Armenia are very important to American interests,"
Clawson wrote in a letter to House colleagues in a bid to muster
support for his resolution that seeks to find a settlement between
the two countries. "U.S interests [in the region] can be enhanced by
both countries acting to cultivate peace and understanding."
Clawson also said that the U.S has been attempting to enhance ties
between the two countries since 2009, but has thus far failed to do
so. He also added that Turkey, given its geographical location, is
a significant partner in the fight against extremism, a partnership
that is growing particularly valuable given deepening relations of the
countries in the region with Iran and Russia, which are diminishing
U.S power there.
Derya TaÅ~_kın, president of the New York-based Turkish Institute
for Progress, has said the move is historic for being unprecedented,
adding that the Turkish Institute for Progress is also working to help
thaw Turkish-Armenian relations. She also said Clawson has underscored
the necessity of pondering the next hundred years instead of the past
to mend Turkey-Armenia relations.
Turkish officials have been exerting considerable efforts to improve
relations with Armenia by reinstating rights and confiscated property
that had been taken from them since the founding of the Republic,
after decades of apathy. Steps have also been taken to provide them
with representation in Parliament.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also made an attempt to thaw tensions
between the two countries by issuing a message ahead of the 99th year
commemoration of the 1915 incidents last year. In an unprecedented
move, while he was prime minister, Erdogan extended condolences to
the grandchildren of Armenians who lost their lives in the 1915 events.
However Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan, in a purported refusal to
reconcile with Turkey, said he had withdrawn the peace accords with
Turkey from parliament.
The two countries' then foreign ministers, Ahmet Davutoglu and Eduard
Nalbandyan, had signed protocols to establish diplomatic ties between
their respective countries in 2009 in Switzerland. Mediated by the
U.S., the protocol had presupposed the opening of the border between
Turkey and Armenia, but it was failed to be ratified.
Following the incident, Erdogan complained that Armenia had failed to
reciprocate Turkish peace efforts, but said that Ankara will still
pursue a settlement with Armenia. Foreign Ministry Spokesman Tanju
Bilgic also said: "Turkey will remain committed to the normalization
process it pursues as the main purpose of the protocols."
The official Turkish government stance on the claims of genocide is
that it acknowledges that a tragedy occurred with great suffering on
the part of the Armenians, but that Muslim Turks also suffered during
the event. They have repeatedly called on Armenia to check unbiased
historical sources to bring the matter to light.
http://www.dailysabah.com/politics/2015/04/02/us-resolution-seeks-to-resolve-turkeyarmenia-relations-void-of-genocide-claims