U.S. IN WAR OF WORDS WITH TURKEY
By Kenneth R. Bazinet
Assyrian International News Agency
April 30 2007
WASHINGTON — Turkish lawmakers are threatening to cut off essential
supply lines to U.S. forces in Iraq if Congress officially blames
Turkey for the Armenian genocide of 1915, Turkish and U.S. officials
tell the Daily News.
"It’s not subtle. They outright threaten to do it, and even have
soldiers calling congressmen saying, ‘You’re going to cut us off if
you do that,’" said Rep. Frank Pallone (D-N.J.), co-chairman of the
bipartisan Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues.
Armenian-Americans have long lobbied for official recognition of the
atrocities committed in Turkish Armenia during World War I, but it’s
likely the resolution may finally come up for a House vote because
of the backing of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
"It would be an insult to Turkey, and it would not be helpful,"
warned Egeman Bagis, a member of the Turkish parliament and foreign
policy adviser to Prime Minister Recep Erdogan.
Egeman pointed out that "at least 60% of the supplies that go to U.S.
forces in Iraq now pass through Turkey." Asked whether NATO member
Turkey would actually cut off those supply lines, he said, "It could
happen."
But the Armenian movement is growing. California Gov. Arnold
Schwarzenegger didn’t wait for Congress, proclaiming last week "Days
of Remembrance of the Armenian Genocide."
Egeman insists Turkey will open its archives to show it was not
genocide, but scholars and many European nations agree that a
half-million Armenians perished under orders from the Ottoman Empire.
About two dozen countries recognize the Armenian genocide, according
to the Armenian National Institute. Every time the issue comes up,
Turkey threatens to cut off relations or trade. It made similar threats
to Canada and France when they officially recognized the genocide,
but relations have since normalized.
"Genocide is a universal problem that is not going away. If you don’t
remember genocide, it emboldens the perpetrators, and it occurs again
and again," said George Shirinian, director of the Zoryan Institute
for Contemporary Armenian Research and Documentation.