Pan Armenian News
CONGRESSMEN URGED BUSH TO RAISE ARMENIAN BLOCKADE ISSUE
08.06.2005 05:34
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ In the days leading up to Wednesday’s meeting between
Pres. Bush and Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, members of the
US House of Representatives raised serious concerns about Turkey’s 12-year
blockade of Armenia, reported the Armenian National Committee o America
(ANCA). In a June 3rd letter, Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs Joe
Knollenberg (R-MI) and Frank Pallone (D-NJ) were joined by Reps. Adam Schiff
(D-CA) and George Radanovich (R-CA) in urging Pres. Bush and Secretary of
State Rice to “again call upon Turkey to comply with your Administration’s
long-standing position that in order to restore economic, political, and
cultural links with Armenia, Turkey should immediately lift its ongoing
blockade with Armenia.” The House members detailed the high cost of Turkey’s
blockade on Armenia’s struggling economy. “A recent State Department report
estimated that the blockade is inflating Armenia’s transportation costs by
30-35%, thereby stifling its trade and economy,” noted the letter. “This
report also stated that opening the border would catalyze commercial
opportunities for Turkey and Armenia in the fields of energy, trade and
tourism, valued at $1 billion per year.”