Armenian National Committee of America
888 17th Street, NW Suite 904
Washington, DC 20006
Tel: (202) 775-1918
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PRESS RELEASE
March 26, 2004
Contact: Elizabeth S. Chouldjian
Tel: (202) 775-1918
PEW SURVEY CITES 63% OF TURKISH CITIZEN HAVE UNFAVORABLE VIEW OF
U.S.
WASHINGTON, DC – A recent survey of nine countries conducted by the
Pew Research Center for the People and the Press revealed that
despite billions in U.S. financial assistance and efforts by the
Bush Administration to support its accession into the European
Union, the Turkish population continues to have a negative view of
the United States, reported the Armenian National Committee of
America (ANCA).
The March 16, 2004 poll, titled “A Year After Iraq: Mistrust of
America in Europe Ever Higher, Muslim Anger Persists,” reveals that
“in Turkey, where bin Laden is highly unpopular, as many as 31% say
that suicide attacks against Americans and other Westerners in Iraq
are justifiable.”
Other responses include:
** 52% in Turkey have unfavorable views of Christians; 49% have
unfavorable views of Jews.
** 63% in Turkey have either a very unfavorable or somewhat
unfavorable view of America
** 55% in Turkey say that the United States is overreacting to
terrorism.
** 56% in Turkey oppose America’s war on terrorism.
** 61% in Turkey believe that the true motive of he US-led war on
terrorism is to dominate the world.
** 64% in Turkey do not believe that the US-led war on terrorism is
a sincere effort to reduce international terrorism.
The complete report is available on the Pew Research Center
website:
The ANCA distributed these key statistics to Members of Congress
and staff this week, as part of an ongoing education campaign,
countering the intensive multi-million dollar lobbying efforts by
the Turkish Government to white-wash their image within the United
States. Among the top beneficiaries of Turkish government lobbying
funds are former Louisiana Republican Congressman and House Speaker
hopeful Bob Livingston as well as former House Rep. Stephen Solarz
(D-NY), the self-described “Congressman from Istanbul.”
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