RECOGNITION OF ‘ARMENIAN GENOCIDE’ AT US CONGRESS COMMITTEE NOT POSITIVELY AFFECT THE US NATIONAL INTERESTS: AZERBAIJANI FOREIGN MINISTRY

TREND Information, Azerbaijan
Oct 11 2007

Azerbaijan, Baku / corr Trend K.Ramazanova / The adoption of resolution
on the recognition of the US Congress Committee on International
Relations with 27 pros and 21 cons is unfair decision, Khezer Ibrahim,
the spokesman for the Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs said
on 11 October.

The US Congress Committee on International Relations adopted a
resolution on the recognition of ‘Armenian genocide’ with majority
of votes.

"The Congress calls on the US President exactly characterize the
‘systematic and purposely termination of 1.5mln Armenians’ as
‘genocide’ in his annual presidential appeal, which he will make on
24 April,on the anniversary of ‘Armenian genocide’," the document said.

Immediately after the adoption of this resolution the Turkish President
Abdullah Gul voiced regret that some American politicians "sacrificed
huge task for small political games". He said that such steps do not
befit a great and strong country like the United States.

"The people of Turkey will never agree upon with this resolution,"
the Turkish President stressed

According to Ibrahim, congressmen acted not only in the interest of
the Government, but also their own political interests. "Indeed, the
adoption of this resolution is a result of pressures by the Armenian
lobby. Therefore, such resolution will not positively affect the US
national interests," he said.

Earlier, Anna Derse, the US Ambassador to Azerbaijan, stated that
if the resolution is adopted, it will not affect on the US foreign
policy, because the Congress is a separate body.

The US Ambassador to Azerbaijan noted that an only way for the
resolution of the problem is a dialogue between historians and nations.

Turkey has repeatedly warned the United States that in case of adoption
of Resolution 106, the US-Turkish relations might be deteriorated.

The resolution itself was submitted to the House of Representatives
of the US Congress by Congressman Adam Shieff on 30 January 2007.

Presently, the resolution is supported by 227 Congressmen.

US President George W.Bush has repeatedly came out against recognition
of ‘Armenian genocide’. The US Secretary of State and eight former
Secretaries of state also came out against this resolution.