US COMMITTEE PASSES RESOLUTIONS RECOGNIZING ARMENIAN ALLEGATIONS

Journal of Turkish Weekly
Sept 19 2005

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The International Relations Committee of the U.S.

House of Representatives late Thursday adopted two resolutions
recognizing the Armenian ‘genocide’ allegations. The first resolution
was adopted by 35 votes to 11, and the second was adopted 40-7.

The International Relations Committee passed the resolutions despite
the U.S. Department of State sending the committee a letter opposing
this move.

Matthew Reynolds, U.S. acting assistant secretary of state for
legislative affairs, sent a letter to committee Chairman Henry Hyde
saying that the U.S. administration was against the adoption of
these resolutions.

In his letter, Reynolds also underlined that discussion of this matter
by the full House of Representatives was against national interests,
would harm Turkish-U.S. relations, and hamper the development of
relations between Ankara and Yerevan. Also, Reynolds said that the
U.S. not only continued to support the discussion of this matter by
scholars, diplomats, and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), but
also aims to encourage the Turkish and Armenian governments towards
forging economic and political dialogue.

Reynolds also said that these resolutions would harm the U.S. and
Turkeys’ concerted efforts in the Eastern Mediterranean, Caucasus,
Central Asia, and the Middle East. He underlined Turkey’s importance
in reinforcing democracy, tolerance, regional peace, and stability.

“I don’t believe that adoption of the resolutions would damage
bilateral relations,” replied Hyde. “Rejection of the ‘genocide’
reality can’t be justified. I particularly want to stress that Turkey
or Turkish people aren’t responsible for the alleged crime. I also want
to appreciate the Turkish government’s efforts for reconciliation.”

Armenian lobby in the US argues that the 1915 communal clashes and
other Armenian killings were ‘genocide while Turkey has never accepted
the accusations. Turkey argues that the events were a civil war and
under the war circumstances both Turks and Armenians were killed by
the armed groups. More than 520.000 Turkish and Kurdish were massacred
by the Armenian armed groups during the First World War.

Turkey was one of the first state who recognized the independent
Armenia in 1991. However when Armenian forces occupied about 20
percent of neighboring Azerbaijan, Turkey did not established
diplomatic relations with Yerevan and urged Armenia to withdraw
from the occupied territories. European Union and OSEC also urged
Armenians to withdraw and both institutions named Armenia ‘occupier’
in Karabakh region. Turkey, Azerbaijan and Georgia have very close
relations with the EU, US and Israel while Armenia has developed
close relations with Russia and Iran since the independence.

In United States there is a strong Armenian lobby and tries to affect
the Washington’s Turkey and Caucasus policies.