ANCA WARNS CAPITOL HILL ABOUT DANGERS OF TURKEY-ARMENIA "PROTOCOLS"

armradio.am
02.09.2009 12:47

The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) shared with Members
of Congress the reservations of theArmenian American community
regarding a recent set of secretly- negotiated, Swiss-brokered,
protocols between Turkey and Armenia regarding the normalization of
their bilateral relations.

In a September 1, 2009 memo to Senate and House offices, ANCA
Executive Director Aram Hamparian reviewed these concerns, alerted
these offices to the undue pressure applied to Armenia to accept
dangerous concessions, and informed legislators on both sides of
Capitol Hill about Turkey’s rapid backtracking from even the minor
commitments it had undertaken in these agreements.

In the note, Hamparian stressed that, "Among [the ANCA’s] primary
concerns is that Armenia, blockaded by Turkey and under intense
economic and diplomatic pressure, was forced into accepting terms that
threaten her interests, rights, safety, and future – very notably
in the form of a proposed ‘historical commission.’" He added that,
"This provision, a tactic long pursued by Ankara to cast doubt
on the historical record of the Armenian Genocide, is intended to
serve Turkey’s drive to roll back the growing tide of international
recognition of this crime against humanity.

There can be no enduring relationship between Armenia and Turkey
that is not built upon the foundation of Turkey’s acceptance of a
true and just resolution of this crime."

The memo closed with a set of four ANCA recommendations for U.S.
policymakers, including both Presidential and Congressional recognition
of the Armenian Genocide.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress