FLAP OVER GENOCIDE RESOLUTION STRAINS TURKISH-US TIES
Southeast European Times
March 11 2010
Saying it is a matter of national honour, Ankara voices anger over
a non-binding resolution that describes the WWI-era massacre of
Armenians as genocide.
By Erol Izmirli for Southeast European Times in Istanbul — 11/03/10
Turkish Ambassador to the United States Namik Tan was recalled after
the March 4th vote on the Armenian genocide resolution. [Getty Image]
AAnkara says Turkish Ambassador to the United States Namik Tan will
not be returning to Washington until the future of the so-called
"Armenian genocide" bill becomes known.
By a vote of 23-22, the US House Foreign Affairs Committee approved
the resolution on March 4th, prompting Ankara to recall Tan. The
measure is non-binding and has no actual impact on policy.
Nevertheless, it has affected ties between Ankara and Washington,
two close NATO allies. "The US should not lose a strategic partner as
Turkey because of such an issue," Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan
told reporters Tuesday (March 9th).
The resolution accuses Turkey "of a crime that it has not committed",
the Turkish government said in its first reaction to the committee
vote.
The measure calls on the Obama administration to ensure that US policy
formally refers to the World War I-era killings of Armenians in the
Ottoman Empire as "genocide", and mandates that President Barack
Obama use the term when he delivers his annual message on the issue
in April — something he avoided doing last year.
While acknowledging that many Armenians perished during the waning
days of the Ottoman Empire, Turkish leaders insist the tragedy was
due to an overall state of anarchy and violence, which also claimed
Turkish lives.
Turkey denies there was any systematic programme to eliminate
Armenians. Turkish citizens who speak of the massacres have been
jailed under a 2005 statute — Article 301 –which outlaws "insults"
to the Turkish nation.
Scholars have put the number of Armenians killed in Turkey around
1915 at more than one million.
The flap comes as a Turkey and neighbouring Armenia are engaged in a
diplomatic process to end decades-old hostility through two protocols
signed in last November. The countries will normalise ties and open
the border following ratification of the protocols by each nation’s
parliament.
Erdogan’s office is planning to consult with President Abdullah Gul
as well as opposition parties — if necessary — to discuss future
steps and formulate a common policy on the issue. Davutoglu described
the US allegations as "a matter of national honour for us".
Armenian-American groups welcomed passage of the resolution, saying
their next objective will be the resolution’s endorsement by the full
US House of Representatives.
"Truth prevailed today, and the cause of genocide affirmation
and prevention has been furthered," said Bryan Ardouny, executive
director of the Armenian Assembly of America, a large Armenian-American
organisation headquartered in Washington.
The Armenian government called the vote an important step forward
for human rights.
Related ArticlesLoading"This is [more] proof of the devotion of the
American people to universal human values and is an important step
towards the prevention of crimes against humanity," Foreign Minister
Edward Nalbandian said in a statement Friday.
But Turkish officials say the measure will hinder rather than help the
process of rapprochement. "Every decision you take in [this] fashion
has been blocking Turks’ peace with the Armenians. Please review this
issue," Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said after the committee vote.
His ministry has asked US Ambassador to Ankara James Jeffrey to relay
Turkey’s concerns. In short remarks to the press after meeting with
Turkish Foreign Ministry Deputy Undersecretary Selim Yenel, Jeffrey
said the Obama administration opposed the resolution.
Similar resolutions passed the same committee in 2000, 2005 and 2007,
but none of them reached a House floor vote.
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