PELOSI BACKS OFF PLEDGE TO CALL VOTE ON ARMENIAN BILL (UPDATE3)
By Laura Litvan and Nicholas Johnston
Bloomberg
Oct 17 2007
Oct. 17 (Bloomberg) — House Speaker Nancy Pelosi backed off her
pledge to call a floor vote on a measure declaring the World War
I-era killings of Armenians by Ottoman Turks an act of genocide after
support for the resolution eroded.
"Whether it will come up or not and what the action will be remains
to be seen," Pelosi told reporters today. She said that it will be up
to the bill’s sponsors, led by Democratic Representative Adam Schiff
of California, to decide whether the resolution gets a vote in the
full U.S. House this year.
At least 11 lawmakers have withdrawn their support for the resolution
since a congressional panel approved the legislation last week. The
panel’s action set off a backlash from Turkey and raised broad concerns
about the effect on U.S. security interests.
Schiff told reporters today that he won’t ask Pelosi to keep her
pledge if he decides that the measure lacks enough votes to pass. He
said he is gauging support among lawmakers this week.
"We want to win this, and I don’t think the cause would be advanced
by taking up a vote and not succeeding," Schiff said.
President George W. Bush said today at a press conference that
"Congress has more important work to do than antagonizing a democratic
ally in the Muslim world, especially one that’s providing vital
support for our military every day."
Iraq War
Turkey, which helps the U.S. move supplies into Iraq war zones,
recalled its ambassador to Washington for consultations the day after
a House panel approved the resolution last week by a vote of 27-21.
Turkey denies that a systematic slaughter of Armenians took place,
saying Armenians and Turks alike were killed in the clashes after
Armenian groups sided with Russia in World War I. Turkey has threatened
to cut cooperation with the U.S., which uses an air base there as a
re-supply hub for missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. The resolution
has been strongly supported by Armenian-American groups in the U.S.
Bush personally called Pelosi yesterday to urge her to cancel plans
for a House vote.
"The president and the speaker exchanged candid views on the subject,
and the speaker explained the strong bipartisan support in the House
for the resolution," said Nadeam Elshami, a spokesman for Pelosi.
`Threats’ Cited
A Washington-based Armenian-American group accused Turkey today of
"blackmailing" the Congress. "I truly hope that no member of Congress
is persuaded to jump ship on such a critical vote as this simply
because of some threats by a foreign government," said Armenian
Assembly of America Executive Director Bryan Ardouny in a statement.
Bush today reiterated American efforts to persuade Turkey to exercise
restraint in dealing with Kurdish rebels launching attacks from the
mountainous border area in northern Iraq.
"We don’t think it’s in their interest to send more troops in,"
Bush said.
The president spoke as the Turkish parliament voted to give Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan authorization for an assault across the
border sometime within a year, citing failed U.S. and Iraqi attempts
to curb attacks.
Turkish Ties
Turkey is the only Muslim member of the North Atlantic Treaty
Organization and one of the few Muslim nations to have close ties
with Israel as well as Arab countries. Erdogan was re- elected in
July with the biggest popular mandate in Turkey in four decades,
a result hailed by the U.S. as a victory for democracy in the region.
The country has benefited from a surge of U.S. investment during the
past five years, especially into its expanding banking industry.
Lawmakers who co-sponsored the resolution and then withdrew their
support this week include Democratic Representatives Allen Boyd of
Florida and Mike Ross of Arkansas.
Pennsylvania Democrat John Murtha told reporters today that as many
as 30 Democrats have expressed concern about the resolution, and
"if it came to the floor today it wouldn’t pass."
Murtha and four other Democrats held a press conference today calling
on Pelosi to not bring the resolution before the entire House for a
vote because it would damage the country’s relationship with Turkey
and imperil U.S. forces in Iraq.
"What we are asking is for our own leadership to do what is right
for the American national and strategic interests," Florida Democrat
Robert Wexler said.
"Sometimes your head has to give in to your heart and do what makes
sense for your country," Tennessee Democrat Stephen Cohen said.
"It’s just bad, bad, bad timing."