WASHINGTON BRIEFING: KEY ARMENIAN CAUCUS MEMBERS COMMENT ON PROTOCOLS, GENOCIDE RESOLUTION
by Emil Sanamyan
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Saturday October 17, 2009
Washington – Leading advocates of Armenian-American concerns in
Congress issued a joint statement that raised concerns with some of
the provisions of the Armenia-Turkey protocols, while also reiterating
their intention to continue to advocate for a congressional resolution
on the Armenian Genocide.
Caucus co-chairs Reps. Frank Pallone (D.-N.J.) and Mark Kirk (R.-Ill.)
together with Reps. Adam Schiff (D.-Calif.) and George Radanovich
(R.-Calif.), issued a joint statement that "shared the concern of the
Armenian-American community regarding the possibility of creating
a historical commission to review the events of 1915 to 1923," the
Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) reported on October 10.
Separately, Mr. Schiff told The Hill newspaper on October 10 that he
and his colleagues "intend to push forward with the recognition of
the genocide," in spite of the Armenia-Turkey protocols.
House Resolution 252 affirming the U.S. record on the Armenian Genocide
was introduced last March with 77 co-sponsors. Its supporters have
since gathered 58 additional signatures, with the total co-sponsorship
list this week at 135 of the total of 435 House members. It remains
unclear when and if the House Foreign Affairs Committee plans to
consider the measure.
But as Turkey’s ambassador in Washington Nabi Sensoy told The Hill,
consideration of the resolution would "have a negative impact on
what we are trying do, which is normalization of relations with the
Armenians" and that as part of this "normalization . . . historical
aspects of the issue will be discussed."
The congressional statement also suggested that "as Secretary of
State Clinton and other senior officials work to maintain stability
in the region, we urge them to take advantage of the knowledge and
expertise of the Armenian-American community."
ANCA also cited Department of Justice records as showing that former
Republican Speaker Dennis Hastert and former Democratic Party in
Congress Dick Gephardt, both now working for Turkey, have met with
both Secretary Hillary Clinton and National Security Advisor Jim Jones.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
