PRESS RELEASE
Armenian Assembly of America
July 30,2009
Contact: Michael A. Zachariades
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (202) 393-3434
LAWMAKERS ADDRESS TURKISH BACKPEDALING
82 Members of Congress Send Letter to President Obama
Washington, DC – Earlier today, under the leadership of the
Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues Co-Chairs, Representatives
Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Mark Kirk (R-IL), along with Congressmen
Adam Schiff (D-CA) and George Radanovich (R-CA), a bipartisan group of
legislators sent a letter to President Barack Obama highlighting
Turkey’s failure to live up to its commitments regarding normalizing
of relations with Armenia without preconditions, reported the Armenian
Assembly of America (Assembly).
The letter read in part "We write to you [Mr. President] with our
concerns about Turkish backpedaling on the agreed upon roadmap to
normalize relations between Turkey and Armenia." Recalling stated
U.S. policy "that normalization should take place without
preconditions and within a reasonable timeframe," the letter pointed
out Armenia’s constructive approach and raised concerns about Turkey’s
counterproductive actions: "While the Government of Armenia remains
committed to this roadmap and has long offered to establish ties with
Turkey without preconditions, Turkey’s public statements and actions
since April 24th stand in sharp contrast to this agreement and
undermine U.S. policy that normalization take place without
preconditions."
Assembly Executive Director Bryan Ardouny commended this bipartisan
initiative stating that "Armenia has repeatedly offered to normalize
relations with Turkey without preconditions only to be rebuffed by
Turkey. We also support the position espoused by the Members that the
Administration should separate the issues of normalization and
Genocide affirmation. U.S. affirmation of the Armenian Genocide should
not be held hostage to normalization of relations."
Established in 1972, the Armenian Assembly of America is the largest
Washington-based nationwide organization promoting public
understanding and awareness of Armenian issues. The Assembly is a
501(c) (3) tax-exempt membership organization.
###
NR#2009-062
Editor’s Note:
Letter Signatories – Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ), Mark Steven Kirk
(R-IL), Adam Schiff (D-CA), George Radanovich (R-CA), Gary Ackerman
(D-NY), Joe Baca (D-CA), Michele Bachmann (R-MN), Shelley Berkley
(D-NV), Howard Berman (D-CA), Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Bruce Braley,
(D-IA), John Campbell, (R-CA), Lois Capps (D-CA), Michael Capuano
(D-MA), Dennis Cardoza (D-CA), Jim Costa (D-CA), Jerry Costello
(D-IL), Joe Courtney (D-CT), Joseph Crowley (D-NY), Peter DeFazio
(D-OR), Steve Driehaus (D-OH), Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Chaka Fattah (D-PA),
Bob Filner (D-CA), Barney Frank (D-MA), Elton Gallegly (R-CA), Scott
Garrett (R-NJ), Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), Maurice Hinchey (D-NY), Rush
Holt (D-NJ), Michael Honda (D-CA), Jesse Jackson, Jr. (D-IL), Patrick
Kennedy (D-RI), Dale Kildee (D-MI), Leonard Lance (R-NJ), James
Langevin (D-RI) Barbara Lee (D-CA), Sander Levin (D-MI), Daniel
Lipinski (D-IL), Frank LoBiondo (R-NJ) Daniel Lungren (R-CA). Stephen
Lynch (D-CA), Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Edward Markey (D-MA), Betty
McCollum (D-MN), Thaddeus McCotter (R-MI), James McGovern (D-MA) Jerry
McNerney (D-CA), Candice Miller (R-MI), Walt Minnick (D-ID), Grace
Napolitano (D-CA), Richard Neal (D-CA), Devin Nunes (R-CA), John Olver
(D-MA) Payne, Donald (D-NJ), Gary Peters (D-MI), Collin Peterson
(D-MN), Mike Quigley (D-IL), Peter Roskam (R-IL), Steven Rothman
(D-NJ), Edward Royce (R-CA), Bobby Rush (D-IL) Paul Ryan (R-WI),
Loretta Sanchez (D-CA), John Sarbanes (D-MD) James Sensenbrenner
(R-WI), Brad Sherman (D-CA), Chris Smith (R-NJ), Mark Souder (R-IN),
Zack Space (D-OH), Jackie Speier (D-CA), John Tierney (D-MA), Dina
Titus (D-NV), Paul Tonko (D-NY), Niki Tsongas (D-MA), Chris Van Hollen
(D-MD), Tim Walz (D-MN) Henry Waxman (D-CA), Anthony Weiner (D-NY),
Frank Wolf (R-VA), Lynn Woolsey (D-CA)
From: Baghdasarian