OBAMA MAY UPHOLD GENOCIDE CLAIMS

Today’s Zaman, Turkey
June 11 2008

Senator Barack Obama may become the first US president to recognize
Armenian claims that their ancestors were subject to a systematic
genocide campaign at the hands of the late Ottoman Empire, experts say.

Formal backing of the claims by the US administration could mean
a major blow to ties between NATO allies Turkey and the United
States. Turkey categorically denies genocide charges, saying instead
Turks and Armenians died in a civil conflict during World War I years
when Armenians took up arms against the Ottoman Empire in collaboration
with the Russian army, which was then invading eastern Anatolia,
in hope of creating an independent Armenian state.

"The Armenian issue is just one factor in the Turkish-US ties if
everything else goes well," Sedat Laciner, head of the Ankara-based
International Strategic Research Organization (ISRO/USAK), was quoted
as saying by the Anatolia news agency. "But if problems emerge, the
Armenian question could put oil on fire and we may suddenly see fires
engulfing the ties," he added.

US presidents have so far refused to call the World War I events
genocide and no US administration has supported efforts in the US
Congress to recognize the alleged genocide, fearing it will harm ties
with Turkey. But Obama’s position may be different. The Democratic
candidate for president has pledged to Armenian groups during his
election campaign that he will back the genocide claims if elected
president.

"Possibilities that Obama will back the genocide claims are still not
big, but compared to President George W. Bush, the risk is greater,"
said Å~^anlı Bahadır Koc, an expert on Turkish-American relations
at the Center for Eurasian Studies Center (ASAM). He said Obama would
be under pressure to keep his words to the Armenian groups if he is
elected. But there will also be others on his team telling him about
the importance of good ties with Turkey. "It is difficult to say who
will win in this," he said.

Contrary to Obama, Republican candidate John McCain is known to be
opposing efforts for US recognition of the genocide claims. Koc said
a problem between Turkey and the US on the Armenian issue is unlikely
if McCain is elected.

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