Armenian National Committee of America
1711 N Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036
Tel. (202) 775-1918
Fax. (202) 775-5648
[email protected]
Internet
PRESS RELEASE
July 30, 2009
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918
OVER 80 HOUSE MEMBERS SLAM TURKEY’S REVERSAL ON PROPOSED "ROADMAP"
— Congressional Letter Urging "Administration to separate the
issues of normalization and genocide recognition" Comes as Turkish
Leaders Reiterate Preconditions on Dialogue
WASHINGTON, DC – Over 80 House House Members, today, expressed
concern about Turkey’s backtracking on a so-called "roadmap" to
advance Armenia-Turkey dialogue, urging President Obama to separate
Armenian Genocide recognition from normalization of ties between
the two countries, reported the Armenian National Committee of
America (ANCA.)
"We commend the leadership of Representatives Pallone, Kirk,
Schiff, Radanovich and their 78 colleagues in calling attention to
Turkey’s efforts to inject the resolution of the Karabagh conflict
as a precondition to lifting the its illegal blockade of Armenia,"
said ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian. "U.S. affirmation of the
Armenian Genocide should not be held hostage to a sham ‘roadmap’
designed to prolong U.S. complicity in the denial of that crime
against humanity."
In a July 29th letter to President Obama, initiated by
Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and
Mark Kirk (R-IL) as well as Armenian Genocide resolution lead
sponsors Adam Schiff (D-CA) and George Radanovich (R-CA), Members
of Congress questioned Turkey’s commitment to talks normalizing
relations with Armenia, as stated in a "roadmap" agreement signed
just two days prior to April 24th, the international day of
commemoration of the Armenian Genocide. Turkey has since added
preconditions to continued discussions, which have led most
observers of the process to conclude the effort to be stalled
indefinitely.
"It would appear that Turkey, in an effort to block U.S.
recognition of the Armenian Genocide, agreed to a roadmap it did
not intend to uphold," notes the letter to the President.
"Therefore, we urge your Administration to separate the issues of
normalization and genocide recognition. We hope that renewed
efforts and focused resources from the Administration can be
utilized to nurture the Armenia-Turkey normalization process
without preconditions and within a reasonable timeframe, and
continue to remain strongly supportive of your stated campaign
policy to officially recognize the Armenian Genocide."
Joining Reps. Pallone, Kirk, Schiff and Radanovich in cosigning the
letter to President Obama were Representatives: Gary Ackerman (D-
NY), Joe Baca (D-CA), Michele Bachmann (R-MN), Shelley Berkley (D-
NV), Howard Berman (D-CA), Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Bruce Braley, (D-
IA), John Campbell, (R-CA), Lois Capps (D-CA), Michael Capuano (D-
MA), Dennis Cardoza (D-CA), Jim Costa (D-CA), Jerry Costello (D-
IL), Joe Courtney (D-CT), Joseph Crowley (D-NY), Peter DeFazio (D-
OR), Steve Driehaus (D-OH), Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Chaka Fattah (D-PA),
Bob Filner (D-CA), Barney Frank (D-MA), Elton Gallegly (R-CA),
Scott Garrett (R-NJ), Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), Maurice Hinchey (D-NY),
Rush Holt (D-NJ), Michael Honda (D-CA), Jesse Jackson, Jr. (D-IL),
Patrick Kennedy (D-RI), Dale Kildee (D-MI), Leonard Lance (R-NJ),
James Langevin (D-RI), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Sander Levin (D-MI),
Daniel Lipinski (D-IL), Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ), Daniel Lungren (R-
CA). Stephen Lynch (D-CA), Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Edward Markey
(D-MA), Betty McCollum (D-MN), Thaddeus McCotter (R-MI), James
McGovern (D-MA), Jerry McNerney (D-CA), Candice Miller (R-MI), Walt
Minnick (D-ID), Grace Napolitano (D-CA), Richard Neal (D-CA), Devin
Nunes (R-CA), John Olver (D-MA) Payne, Donald (D-NJ), Gary Peters
(D-MI), Collin Peterson (D-MN), Mike Quigley (D-IL), Peter Roskam
(R-IL), Steven Rothman (D-NJ), Edward Royce (R-CA), Bobby Rush (D-
IL) Paul Ryan (R-WI), Loretta Sanchez (D-CA), John Sarbanes (D-MD)
James Sensenbrenner (R-WI), Brad Sherman (D-CA), Chris Smith (R-
NJ), Mark Souder (R-IN), Zack Space (D-OH), Jackie Speier (D-CA),
John Tierney (D-MA), Dina Titus (D-NV), Paul Tonko (D-NY), Niki
Tsongas (D-MA), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Tim Walz (D-MN) Henry
Waxman (D-CA), Anthony Weiner (D-NY), Frank Wolf (R-VA), and Lynn
Woolsey (D-CA).
The letter comes just days following a statement by Turkish Foreign
Minister Ahmet Davutoglu once again citing that the resolution of
the Nagorno Karabagh conflict as a precondition to Armenia-Turkey
normalization efforts. In recent weeks, Western diplomats have
stated that dialogue between Armenia and Turkey is virtually
frozen. An ANCA fact sheet outlining Turkey’s backtracking from
the April 22nd "roadmap" agreement can be viewed at:
_nowhere.pdf
Over the past two weeks, Armenian Americans have been contacting
their legislators to cosign the Congressional letter. ANCA Leo
Sarkisian intern Nareg Aghjayan documented the grassroots community
efforts to educate Congress about Turkey’s backtracking on the
roadmap in a "Capital Perspectives" piece issued today, posted on
the ANCA Leo Sarkisian 2009 blog page:
/30/grassroots-making-our-cause-a-reality/
The full text of the letter to President Obama follows.
#####
July 30, 2009
President Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20500
Dear Mr. President:
We write to you with our concerns about Turkish backpedaling on the
agreed upon roadmap to normalize relations between Turkey and
Armenia.
On April 22, 2009, just two days before the 94th commemoration of
the Armenian Genocide, the Department of State released the
following statement:
"The United States welcomes the statement made by Armenia and
Turkey on normalization of their bilateral relations. It has long
been and remains the position of the United States that
normalization should take place without preconditions and within a
reasonable timeframe. We urge Armenia and Turkey to proceed
according to the agreed framework and roadmap. We look forward to
working with both governments in support of normalization, and thus
promote peace, security and stability in the whole region."
Two days later, instead of recognizing the Armenian Genocide, the
Administration opted to focus on this new roadmap to Armenian-
Turkish normalization. "I also strongly support the efforts by
Turkey and Armenia to normalize their bilateral relations," you
wrote. "Under Swiss auspices, the two governments have agreed on a
framework and roadmap for normalization. I commend this progress,
and urge them to fulfill its promise."
While the Government of Armenia remains committed to this roadmap
and has long offered to establish ties with Turkey without
preconditions, Turkey’s public statements and actions since April
24th stand in sharp contrast to this agreement and undermine U.S.
policy that normalization take place without preconditions.
On May 13, 2009, Prime Minister Erdogan publically conditioned
normalization of relations with Yerevan on Azerbaijan’s approval of
a future settlement of the Nagorno Karabagh conflict that fully
meets Baku’s satisfaction. "I want to repeat once more that until
the occupation ends, the border gates [with Armenia] will remain
closed," Erdogan told the Azeri Parliament.
On June 17, 2009, EU South Caucasus Envoy Peter Semneby said Turkey
had taken "tactical steps backwards" in the normalization process
with Armenia.
It would appear that Turkey, in an effort to block U.S. recognition
of the Armenian Genocide, agreed to a roadmap it did not intend to
uphold. Therefore, we urge your Administration to separate the
issues of normalization and genocide recognition. We hope that
renewed efforts and focused resources from the Administration can
be utilized to nurture the Armenia-Turkey normalization process
without preconditions and within a reasonable timeframe, and
continue to remain strongly supportive of your stated campaign
policy to officially recognize the Armenian Genocide.
Sincerely,