"RESOLUTION WOULD DAMAGE EFFORTS OF RECONCILIATION"

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[03:38 pm] 28 September, 2007

It is with dismay that I read the content of the letter signed by
former US Secretaries of State urging Speaker of the House Nancy
Pelosi to derail H. Res. 106.

It is quite unfortunate that eight experienced diplomats would buy into
Turkish manipulation. There is much to disagree with in that letter,
especially about the purported dangers of such a resolution. I will
only address the insincere claim that such a resolution would "damage
efforts to promote reconciliation between Armenia and Turkey."

I regret to say that there is no process in place to promote
normalization of relations between Armenia and Turkey. Expressing
concern about damaging a process that doesn’t exist is disingenuous.

Armenia has always been ready to have normal relations with its
neighbor. Yet, every initiative that would lead toward normalization
has been rejected by Turkey.

Instead, it continues to place pre-conditions. Turkey makes offers that
are simply invitations for open-ended talk, without serious commitment
to arriving at minimal, ordinary relations between neighbors. Even
their call for a historical commission to discuss painful, historic
events is not serious, given their prohibitive penal consequences
for open speech and discussion and the adversarial environment Turkey
has created by maintaining closed borders with Armenia.

I have already written to Speaker Pelosi to express our deep concerns
and to dismiss as unfounded any implication that a resolution that
addresses matters of human rights and genocide could damage anyone’s
bilateral relations.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress