HOUSE ‘GENOCIDE’ RESOLUTION MAY HAVE CONSEQUENCES
Examiner.com
March 18 2010
A resolution passed recently by the House Foreign Affairs Committee
which labeled Turkey’s early 20th-century atrocities against
the Armenian people as ‘genocide’ may be causing the unintended
consequences some opponents said it would.
Turkey’s prime minister has threatened to expel thousands of illegal
Armenian workers from his country, according to Al Jazeera, the Arab
news network.
Referring to about 100,000 Armenians working illegally in Turkey out
of a total of 170,000 living there, Erdogan reportedly said:
"Only 70,000 of them are Turkish citizens, but we are tolerating the
remaining 100,000. If necessary, I may have to tell these 100,000 to
go back to their country because they are not my citizens. I don’t
have to keep them in my country."
Forced to leave their impoverished country to earn a living, thousands
of Armenians, mostly women, have settled in Turkey, mainly in Istanbul,
according to Al Jazeera.
Many came after an earthquake in their homeland in 1988 and work
illegally, mainly in manual jobs or as nannies and cleaning ladies,
sending remittances home.
"So what will I do tomorrow?" Al Jazeera quotes Erdogan as saying. "If
necessary, I will tell them ‘come on, back to your country’."
Erdogan blamed the genocide resolutions on the influential Armenian
diaspora in the U.S. and Western Europe, according to Al Jazeera.
"We are extending our hand, but if our counterparts clench their hand
into a fist, there will be nothing we can do," he said.
Turkey displays military in Ankara (AP Photo/Burhan Ozbilici)The U.S.
House Foreign Affairs Committee vote on the resolution last week
passed by only one vote (23-22).
U.S. HR 252 states in part:
"The Armenian Genocide was conceived and carried out by the Ottoman
Empire from 1915 to 1923, resulting in the deportation of nearly
2,000,000 Armenians…1,500,000 men, women, and children were killed
and 14,500,000 survivors were expelled from their homes."
Turkey recalled its ambassador to the U.S. shortly after the resolution
was passed.
Shortly afterward, the Swedish Parliament passed a similar resolution
and received from Turkey a similar response.
Turkey recalled its ambassador and canceled an upcoming summit between
the countries.
"We strongly condemn this resolution, which is made for political
calculations," Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said about the
Swedish resolution, according to Reuters.
Turkey’s Foreign Minister has warned the Obama administration to
impede the resolution or "the picture ahead will not be a positive
one," according to AFP.
Foreign Minister Davutoglu said the Obama administration had not
put sufficient weight behind efforts to block the vote and called on
Washington to do more to prevent the measure from now going to the
full House.
He complained of a lack of ‘strategic vision’ in Washington, adding
that the issue was a matter of ‘honor’ for his country.
According to Reuters, Turkey has signaled that its ambassador to
the United States will not return until the fate of the non-binding
congressional resolution is clear.
The genocide resolution could go forward toward full congressional
approval despite opposition from the Obama administration, according
to Desmond Butler of AP.
Butler wrote that Assistant Secretary of State Philip Gordon told
reporters there is no deal with Democratic congressional leaders to
block the resolution, which contradicts earlier claims by the State
Department.
"Congress is an independent body, and they are going to do what they
decide to do," Gordon is reported to have said, ahead of a speech at
the Brookings Institution.
Many analysts have pointed out that passage of the resolution comes at
a time the US is seeking Turkey’s support for sanctions against Iran.
Recent reports suggest Turkey may be ambivalent about supporting
those sanctions.
According to an article which appeared today on World Bulletin.net,
Turkey’s prime minister has dismissed reports claiming that Iran
wants to acquire nuclear weapons.
Erdogan said it was not right to manipulate the issue as if "Iran
desired to possess nuclear weapons," according to World Bulletin.net.
"These are all rumors. Because, nothing like that has happened. So,
it is meaningless to discuss it," Erdogan is quoted as saying.
Turkey’s Prime Minister & Saudi King recently (AP Photo/Saudi
Press)Perhaps worse news, Turkey’s quest for European Union membership
may have lost momentum.
Long viewed as a carrot to ensure Turkey’s malleability, EU membership
is no longer viewed in that country as the prize it once was, according
to some analysts.
While official Turkish policy is still to seek EU membership, one
analyst reports that many of the AK (ruling party) younger leaders
are skeptical.
"There was a time when Turkey saw membership in Europe as an
affirmation of its modernization," George Friedman of Stratfor,
a global intelligence website, said recently.
"I don’t think the Turks look at Europe that way any longer . The
older generation may. Some of the secularists may want membership in
Europe because it would guarantee some of their secular values and
institutions. But, on the whole, Europe, right now, is simply not
a very attractive place to go, and given the fact that they are not
likely to let the Turks in anyway, I think there is a growing mutual
understanding that Europe isn’t something they need to join."
Young leaders in Turkey argue that the strength of their economy and
their country’s rising international status will enable it to stand
tall in an area of the world it once dominated as the Ottoman Empire,
according to Colin Chapman, also from Strafor.
"This is not an optical illusion," George Friedman added. "Turkey is
standing taller. Turkey is a substantial power in the region. Compared
to EU members in the region, such as Greece, there is no comparison.
"Frankly, the old relationship between Turkey and Europe is gone
on both sides, and Turkey, I would suspect, is well done with it,"
Friedman said.
Eighteen NY and NJ legislators co-sponsored the U.S. House resolution,
including NY Reps Charles Rangel and Anthony Weiner.
A similar resolution is pending in the Senate, where NY Senator
Charles Schumer is a co-sponsor.
NY Congressman, Michael McMahon (D-SI/Bklyn), a member of the House
committee, opposed the resolution.
"If HR 252 is passed and Turkey decides to close its border to our
troops in Iraq or remove its $100 million investment in Afghanistan,
our armed forces will be forced to take longer, more dangerous routes
to and from Iraq, exposing them to a greater possibility of attack
and longer deployments," Rep. McMahon stated.
Turkey is the critical passageway for our troops to Iraq, he said,
shortening travel time and reducing the risk of an IED attack.
"Furthermore, as a critical Muslim NATO ally and partner in
Afghanistan, we rely on Turkey to protect our troops as part of the
broader Afghan reconstruction effort."
Former Presidents Jimmy Carter, George Bush I, Bill Clinton and
George Bush II have all opposed a similar resolution based on similar
arguments, according to Rep. McMahon, while Secretary of Defense
Robert Gates, under both the Bush and Obama Administrations, has
warned against the passage of the resolution.
"If Turkey decides to withdraw its support for the US mission in Iraq
and Afghanistan, I know that my visits to Walter Reed and Arlington
will only increase," Rep McMahon stated. "Even with my profound
sympathy for the families of those who perished during the Ottoman
Empire, I cannot responsibly risk such a possibility."
Rep. McMahon represents the 13th Congressional District, which includes
all of Staten Island and parts of Brooklyn. He faces re-election
in November.
Michael Allegretti, a possible GOP opponent, announced he favored
the resolution.
"I urge the members of the House Foreign Relations to stand-up and
recognize the genocide which took place between 1915-1923," Mr.
Allegretti stated."It is unspeakable that one and a half million
Armenians lost their lives in an effort to erase them from their
homeland. Passage of this resolution would be a positive step for
the region."
Rep. McMahon called Allegretti’s position "reckless, irresponsible
and a serious threat to U.S. national security and the safety of our
Armed Forces."
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The following sources were used to prepare this article:
Associated Press
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Al Jazeera
english.aljazeera.net/news/europe/2010/03/ 2010317142257170804.html
World Bulletin
Reuters
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