TURKISH BUSINESS LEADER ASKING OBAMA NOT TO RECOGNIZE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE
PanARMENIAN.Net
26.03.2009 01:02 GMT+04:00
The chairwoman of Turkey’s leading business association, Turkish
Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s Association (TUSIAD), sent a letter
to U.S. President Barack Obama urging him to consider the possible
implications of recognizing Armenian Genocide, Hurriyet Daily News
reports.
Arzuhan Dogan Yalcindag in the letter sent on March 24 is staits,
that "the US and Turkey are determined to move forward for a more
intensified cooperation on several key issues under the vision of the
new American leadership. In an era when a strong US-Turkey alliance
is needed more than ever to address the challenges of the world’s
most troubled regions such as the Middle East and the Caucasus,
straining bilateral relations through such initiatives will have
negative consequences beyond Turkey-US relations."
The leader of TUSAID hopes, that Barack Obama will find it useful
in promoting a more reasonable and less politicized way of debating
Armenian Genocide in the US.
Obama, both as a Senator and a presidential candidate, was an outspoken
advocate for proper U.S. reaffirmation of the Armenian Genocide. He
repeatedly called on former president George W. Bush to recognize the
genocide and expressed reservations over the firing of U.S. Ambassador
to Armenia John Marshall Evans for his remarks recognizing that
crime. In January 2008, Obama issued a campaign statement, noting that
"America deserves a leader who speaks truthfully about the Armenian
Genocide and responds forcefully to all genocides. I intend to be
that President."
Last week, Representatives Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), George Radanovich
(R-Calif.), Frank Pallone (D-N.J.), and Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) were
joined by 70 of their House Colleagues in the introduction of
Armenian Genocide legislation (H.Res.252) calling on the president
to recognize the Armenian Genocide. That resolution is identical to
the one introduced in the previous Congress, which was adopted by
the House Foreign Affairs Committee by a vote of 27 to 21, and had
over 200 co-sponsors.