Mediamax, Armenia
Oct 11 2007
Armenian leader hails US Congress’ genocide recognition efforts
The Armenian president has praised the Foreign Affairs Committee of
the US House of Representatives for its decision to debate the bill
recognizing the mass killings of Armenians in 1915 as "genocide".
Kocharyan said this at the time when the committee was still debating
the bill. Turkey and the US administration warned the US Congress
against adopting the bill, saying it would damage US-Turkish
relations. The bill was endorsed by the committee on 10 October.
Following is an excerpt from report by Armenian news agency Mediamax:
Yerevan, 11 October: President of the European Commission Jose Manuel
Barroso thinks that Turkey and Armenia should "make real steps
towards reconciliation".
Barroso said this at a joint briefing with Armenian President Robert
Kocharyan on 10 October, a Mediamax correspondent reported from
Brussels.
[Passage omitted: Barroso said sensitive issues should not be
politicized]
In turn, Kocharyan welcomed the US Congress’ efforts to recognize the
Armenian genocide. "The recognition of historical injustice cannot
harm bilateral relations," he said. He recalled that although tension
arose after the recognition of the Armenian genocide in France, one
year later Turkish-French trade increased by 50 per cent.
Commenting on remarks about reconciliation between Armenia and
Turkey, Kocharyan said "the simplest formula would be the start of a
dialogue without preconditions". He recalled that Yerevan had been
offering Ankara to start this dialogue over the past 15 years.