AZERI, TURKISH DIASPORA IN US OPPOSE OPENING OF TURKISH-ARMENIAN BORDER

news.az
Nov 11 2009
Azerbaijan

Azerbaijani and Turkish diaspora organizations in the USA will work
together to oppose the opening of the Turkish-Armenian border.

One of the Turkish diaspora leaders in the US, Erkan Nur, said that the
Turkish and Azerbaijani diasporas had been gaining influence recently.

"Both the Azerbaijani and Turkish diasporas have expressed concern
at the protocols on the establishment of diplomatic relations between
Ankara and Yerevan. The diaspora organizations are against the opening
of the Armenian-Turkish border without a settlement of the Karabakh
conflict," Nur said.

Meanwhile, the Armenian diaspora in the United States is continuing its
campaign against the protocols on the establishment of Armenian-Turkish
diplomatic relations and the opening of the border.

Erkan Nur referred to a recent interview in which Senator John McCain
said he believed there is ample evidence to prove that "genocide had
been committed against the Armenian people". Both the Turkish and
Azerbaijani diasporas are upset at McCain’s remarks, Nur said.

John McCain made the comments in an interview with the Georgian
service of Voice of America radio.

"I believe that a genocide was committed against Armenians, and I
think there is ample documentation of that," McCain was quoted as
saying. "The Turkish and Armenian people and states cannot forget
the past. Especially Armenians cannot."

McCain avoided the issue during his presidential campaign in 2008
and did not use the term genocide. The Arizona senator is running
for re-election in the 2010 Senate race.