ANCA URGES SCRUTINY OF 10 FAILINGS IN U.S.-TURKEY POLICY DURING AMBASSADORIAL CONFIRMATION HEARING
DeFacto Agency
2008-09-22 17:41:00
Armenia
YEREVAN, 22.09.08. DE FACTO. The Armenian National Committee of America
(ANCA) has called on members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee
to closely scrutinize ten serious shortcomings in the Administration’s
handling of the U.S. – Turkey relationship, during the September
24th confirmation hearing for James Jeffrey to serve as the next
U.S. Ambassador to Turkey.
In letters to panel Chairman Joe Biden (D-DE) and other key Committee
members, ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian outlined the Administration’s
failings, and encouraged strict scrutiny of the nominee in order to
"ensure accountability for past errors, as well as to apply the
lessons learned from these setbacks in charting a more productive
and principled course for U.S.-Turkey relations."
Hachikian underscored that, "We are today, near the close of the Bush
Administration’s eight years in office, at a meaningful milestone
in our relationship with Turkey. This hearing provides an important
opportunity both to look back over the challenges, the progress, and
the setbacks of the past, as well as to look forward to approaches
to develop our ties in ways that advance both our interests and our
values in this vital region of the world."
Among the main failings listed in the letter were its strident attacks
on growing bipartisan movement toward U.S. recognition of the Armenian
Genocide, including President Bush’s firing of Ambassador to Armenia
John Evans, and the "sad public spectacle," in October of 2007, of
the Administration caving in to Turkey’s threats against Congressional
recognition of this crime against humanity.