ADL’s Foxman Calls Genocide Bill `Counterproductive Diversion’

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By Asbarez Staff on Mar 25th, 2010

WASHINGTON – Anti-Defamation League national director Abraham Foxman
said in an interview with the Azeri APA news agency that the Armenian
Genocide resolution, adopted this month by the House Foreign Affairs
Committee, is `a counterproductive diversion.’

APA’s Isabel Levine asked the Jewish leader his thought on the
resolution, to which he responded: `Congressional resolution on such
matters is a counterproductive diversion and will not foster
reconciliation between Turks and Armenians and may put at risk the
important multilateral relationship between Turkey and the United
States.’

`Turkey and the U.S. have many common and vital interests that require
close cooperation and mutual trust. Passage of the resolution will not
change our shared strategic interests, but could impact the political
will in Turkey to pursue them as effectively as possible. We have
urged Turkey and Armenia to work towards reconciliation for a long
time. The resolution will hinder that process, and we oppose it.
However, opposing the resolution must not be confused with denying
history,’ added Foxman.

`Azerbaijan has a long history of tolerance and respect for the Jewish
people, and since independence has been a reliable friend and partner
for the U.S. and Israel. We appreciate the vital importance of a
satisfactory resolution to the Nagorno-Karabakh issue for Azerbaijan.
If Turkish-Armenian normalization will advance the Nagorno-Karabakh
process, we would certainly welcome that additional benefit,’ said
Foxman.