ANCA CONCERNED WITH PROTOCOLS INITIATED FOR IMPROVING ARMENIAN-TURKISH RELATIONS
Noyan Tapan
Sep 3, 2009
WASHINGTON, SEPTEMBER 3, NOYAN TAPAN. The Armenian National Committee
of America (ANCA) gave the Members of Congress a letter dated by
September 1 presenting its reservations and fears regarding the
Protocols initiated for improving Armenian-Turkish relations.
According to the Asbarez daily, it was stressed in the letter signed
by ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian that Armenia being blockaded
by Turkey now is under intense economic and diplomatic pressure, and
that is why it has forcedly accepted such conditions which contains
danger for its interests, rights, safety, and even future. He adds
that the attempts of Turkey to submit the issue of Armenian Genocide
for the discussion of the commission of historians raise more anxiety
and they are the part of the long-term policy of Ankara of denying
that historical fact.
Hamparian stresses that such an attempt to establish normal relations
between Turkey and Armenia can not last long as it is not based on
the historical fact of the Armenian Genocide.
It is also mentioned in the letter that the day after publishing the
news about the Protocols on bilateral relations the Turkish authorities
broke their word on establishing relations without pre-conditions when
they assured the Azeri authorities that it is impossible to open the
borders between Turkey and Armenia without settlement of the Nagorno
Karabakh conflict.
A. Hamparian calls in his letter to apply to these four main events:
– To persuade the President of the United States to honor his pledge
to recognize the Armenian Genocide.
– To gain credits from Washington that it will not, in any way, accept
the suggestion of submitting the issue of the Armenian Genocide to the
"historical commission" as such a step will cast a doubt on the fact
of the genocide.
– The U.S. Ministry of Foreign Affairs must hold Turkey accountable
for its failure to honor its commitments.
– The U.S. Congress should move quickly to pass the Armenian Genocide
Resolution.