U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee PASSED a AG Resolution

[MosJan]

For the first time in a quarter century, the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee PASSED the #ArmenianGenocide Resolution with the leadership of Chairman Menendez.

Support the efforts spearheaded by the #ANCA and donate to the #ANCATelethon now!

Visit www.ancatelethon.org, call 855-208-2622, text "ANCA" to 80888.

 

https://scontent-a-sjc.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/t1.0-9/10152518_10152140209301859_5786565353500178127_n.jpg

 

 

[Yervant1]

Let's hope that this is not a stick and carrot diplomacy once again! I don't see it coming this year, a big maybe next year.

[MosJan]

amen angam yerb hasnum enq iys astijanin yes indz el aveli nvastatsats yev kotorvat sem zgum

[Yervant1]

Genocide!!!!!!! What Genocide, it's a historical fact but not a Genocide!!!!! Maybe, maybe not who knows, we'll wait and see if Turkey behaves than definitely it's not a Genocide, if misbehaves than we'll threaten some more until they come to their senses. See you next year, next question what a circus!!!
ckground=#4998c2] IN THE WORLD[/size]

Jen Psaki: We clearly acknowledge as historical fact and mourn loss of 1.5 million Armenians

We clearly acknowledge as historical fact and mourn the loss of 1.5 million Armenians who were massacred or marched to their deaths in the final days of the Ottoman Empire, U.S. Department of State spokesperson Jen Psaki said at a daily press briefing in Washington on Thursday.

Psaki made the statement in response to a question on her position on a resolution at the Senate regarding Armenian genocide.
“Well, our position has long been that we acknowledge – clearly acknowledge as historical fact and mourn the loss of 1.5 million Armenians who were massacred or marched to their deaths in the final days of the Ottoman Empire. These horrific events resulted in one of the worst atrocities of the 20th century, and the United States recognizes that they remain a great source of pain for the people of Armenia and of Armenian descent, as they do for all of us who share basic universal values,” she said.
Psaki was also asked if there is an update on the Armenian-Turkish protocols and Armenian-Turkish normalization process.
“Well, we continue to urge both countries to work together to achieve a full, frank and just acknowledgement of the facts. We believe that by working together to address their shared history, Armenia and Turkey can promote stability and prosperity in the entire Caucasus region, so we continue to work with them on that. While the protocols may not be moving forward at this time, we note that both sides remain committed to the process of normalizing relations and neither side has withdrawn. Our greatest interest on this issue is to see Armenia and Turkey heal the wounds of the past and move forward together in a shared future of security and prosperity in the region, and our policy is, of course, naturally guided by that goal,” Psaki said.

Source: Panorama.am

 

Edited April 11, 2014 by Yervant1

[Yervant1]

Dear slaveoglu these are our demands from you regarding Syria, Egypt and Russia. What about the Genocide resolution? Don't you worry about that, you know it's April again, just do what I told you!
ackground=#4998c2] IN THE WORLD[/size]

Davutoglu discusses congressional Genocide bills with Kerry

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu held a phone conversation with U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry on Wednesday to discuss resolutions urging Turkey to recognize the Armenian Genocide pending in the US Senate and the House of Representatives, reported Hurriyet Daily News, according to Asbarez.
“We don’t have a negative expectation [for the outcome of the draft resolution],” Davutoglu told reporters in Ankara Thursday, adding that the two had also discussed developments in Syria and Egypt.
The Turkish government is taking measures against “initiatives that will bother Turkey. We hope they will not take such an attitude,” he also said.
Last week senators Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) introduced a bill urging Turkey to recognize the Armenian Genocide.

Source: Panorama.am

 

Edited April 11, 2014 by Yervant1

[Yervant1]

SENATE FOREIGN RELATIONS COMMITTEE ADOPTS ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RESOLUTION

Thursday, April 10th, 2014

Senate Foreign Relations Committee chairman Robert Menendez speaks
at Wednesday's Genocide commemoration on Capitol Hill

Chairman Menendez spearheads successful campaign for truth over strong
opposition from White House; Turkish Government

WASHINGTON--For the first time in nearly a quarter century, a U.S.

Senate committee Thursday adopted an Armenian Genocide Resolution,
calling upon the Senate to commemorate this crime and encouraging
the President to ensure that America's foreign policy reflects
and reinforces the lessons, documented in the U.S. record, of the
still-unpunished genocide, reported the Armenian National Committee
of America.

"Today's vote affirms America's commitment to truth, deals a serious
setback to Turkey's campaign of genocide denial, and sends a clear
message to President Obama that he must end his Administration's
complicity in Ankara's cover-up of this crime," said Aram Hamparian,
Executive Director of the ANCA. "We thank Chairman Menendez for his
powerful leadership and express our thanks to each of the Senators
who cast their votes for this human rights measure."

With a vote of 12 to 5, the Committee voted to condemn and commemorate
the Armenian Genocide.

Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Robert Menendez (D-NJ)
spearheaded the effort to have this influential foreign policy panel
speak clearly regarding the Ottoman Turkish Government's centrally
planned and systematically carried out campaign of genocide from
1915-1923, which resulted in the deaths of over 1.5 million men,
women and children.

Senator Menendez announced the vote at the Armenian Genocide Observance
on Capitol Hill yesterday evening, where he told his colleagues and
attendees, "To me, to all men and women of good will, I would think
there is a simple statement - genocide is genocide, and you cannot
call it anything else but that and you need to have a recognition
of that. Next year when we mark a century - a hundred years ago that
the Armenians were killed by Ottoman Turkey, it seems to me that with
most of the survivors gone - but with a few left - it is incredibly
important for us to lead globally at this time."

http://asbarez.com/121756/senate-foreign-relations-committee-adopts-armenian-genocide-resolution/

[Yervant1]

STATEMENT FROM SENATOR EDWARD J. MARKEY ON COMMITTEE PASSAGE OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RESOLUTION

Attributable to Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), chair of the
Subcommittee on International Development and Foreign Assistance,
Economic Affairs, International Environmental Protection, and Peace
Corps of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

"It is long overdue for the United States to join the many other
nations who have formally recognized the Armenian Genocide. That is
why today's passage by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee of the
genocide resolution in advance of the ninety-ninth anniversary is so
historic. I was proud to vote for this important resolution today in
Committee, and I will keep fighting to ensure its passage by the full
Senate. I will continue to work with the Armenian-American community
to build a prosperous and bright future for the Armenian people."

Giselle Barry Communications Director 202-224-2742

[Yervant1]

Turkey's reaction testifies to the urgency of Armenian Genocide recognition

13:57 12.04.2014


"Turkey's reaction to the adoption of the Armenian Genocide Resolution
by the Foreign Relations Committee of the US Senate once again
testifies to the importance and urgency of international recognition
and condemnation of the Armenian Genocide in the international
struggle to prevent new crimes against humanity in the future,"
Armenian Deputy Foreign Minister Shavarsh Kocharyan said.

The comments come after the Turkish Foreign Ministry issued a
statement yesterday, calling the bill a "hastily and ineptly prepared
draft resolution."

http://www.armradio.am/en/2014/04/12/turkeys-reaction-testifies-to-the-urgency-of-armenian-genocide-recognition/

[Yervant1]

Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
April 12 2014


'Armenian genocide' resolution shelved, as US Senate recesses

Tolga TanıÅ? / WASHINGTON


A resolution that recognizes the 1915-16 killings of Ottoman Armenians
as a genocide, which passed at the U.S. Senate's Foreign Relations
Committee on April 10 by bipartisan vote, has failed to reach the
floor.

Bob Menendez, a Democrat from New Jersey who chairs the Foreign
Relations Committee, and Mark Kirk, a Republican from Illinois, had
presented the bill last week.

Armenians say up to 1.5 million of their forebears were killed in 1915
and 1916 by the forces of Ottoman Empire.

Turkey disputes the figure, arguing that only 500,000 died, and denies
this was genocide, ascribing the toll to fighting and starvation
during World War I.

Having passed the 18-member committee with 12 ayes and 5 nays, the
bill was not put on the agenda for a 100-member floor vote on April
11, the last working day before a two-week Easter recess.

The bill, S.RES.410, has already become obselete, as Congress will
return from recess on April 28. The first article of the bill calls
"to remember and observe the anniversary of the Armenian Genocide on
April 24, 2014."

The Turkish Foreign Ministry had warned the U.S. Congress not to `harm
bilateral ties' between the two countries by carrying the resolution
to the legislative agenda.
`It's important that the U.S. Congress does not carry this resolution
or similar ones to the legislative agenda, but rather makes efforts to
reinforce our historical alliance and partnership, which have an
importance more than ever in the current conjuncture, instead of
harming bilateral relations with non-constructive initiatives,' the
ministry's statement released on April 11 said.

http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/armenian-genocide-resolution-shelved-as-us-senate-recesses.aspx?pageID=238&nID=64948&NewsCatID=359

[Yervant1]

15:40 15/04/2014 » SOCIETY

Iranian historian on recognition of Armenian Genocide by U.S. Senate

“Armenian Genocide issue has become a headache for Turkish government,” Abbas Ghare Aghachlu, professor at Turkish “Girisun” university, has told to Iranian IRNA news agency.

Iranian scientist has touched upon the resolution of recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the foreign relations commission of the U.S. Senate, and has noted, “Previously parliaments of 36 countries had recognized the Armenian Genocide. Regarding the growing tension between Ankara and Washington it is possible that the U.S. Senate will officially recognize the Armenian Genocide implemented by the Ottoman Turkey.”

Abbas Ghare Aghachlu also added, “Before the Jewish lobby was managing to hinder such drafts. The situation changed after the “Mavi Marmara” ship incident. I don’t think that the Jewish lobby will support Turkey as it did before. If the Armenian, Jewish and Greek lobbies unite, the U.S. Senate will approve the Armenian Genocide resolution.”

Coming up to the 100th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide the Iranian scientist has noted, “It will be hard for Turkey till 2015; the presidential; and parliamentary elections on one hand and the Syrian crises on another.”

Source: Panorama.am

[Yervant1]

EXPERTS SAY US RECOGNITION OF THE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE UNREALISTIC AT THIS POINT

18:02 14.04.2014

Artak Barseghyan
Public Radio of Armenia

For the first time in nearly a quarter century, a U.S. Senate committee
Thursday adopted an Armenian Genocide Resolution, calling upon the
Senate to commemorate this crime and encouraging the President to
ensure that America's foreign policy reflects and reinforces the
lessons, documented in the U.S. record, of the still-unpunished
genocide. Which are the developments that could follow the adoption
of the measure?

"The resolution adopted by the Foreign Relations Committee of the
US Senate is an important progress, which cannot but trouble the
Turkish side, especially on the threshold of the 100th anniversary
of the Armenian Genocide," political scientist Aram Manukyan told
reporters today.

Welcoming the initiative of the American lawmakers, he said, however,
that "it's only a small step in the context of a larger process."

According to Manukyan, Washington will recognize the Armenian Genocide
only in case it meets its own geopolitical interests, otherwise the
decision would have been made long ago. He added that there are no
prerequisites for recognition at this point, either.

Historian Gevorg Melkonyan also considers that it's still untimely
to have optimistic expectations with regard to the US recognition of
the Armenian Genocide. Meanwhile, he is confident that the American
bill will promote the process of recognition of the Armenian Genocide
worldwide.

He said the recognition of the Armenian Genocide by the US is more
than unrealistic at this point.

http://www.armradio.am/en/2014/04/14/experts-say-us-recognition-of-the-armenian-genocide-unrealistic-at-this-point/

[Yervant1]

17:18 16/04/2014 » IN THE WORLD

Turkey will not remain silent over genocide resolution if adopted - Davutoglu

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on Tuesday that Turkey is closely following developments over the Armenian genocide resolution that was passed by the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee last week and that it will not allow “any political exploitation” of the issue, Today's Zaman reported.
In his remarks in Mexico City, where he was attending informal talks with his counterparts from Mexico, Indonesia, South Korea and Australia, Davutoglu said the resolution would not have any negative effects on Ankara-Washington ties at this stage, but stressed that Turkey will not remain silent if the resolution is adopted by the Senate.
“We [Davutoglu and US Secretary of State John Kerry] haven't spoken to each other as there has been no new development; however, our stance is clear. Under no circumstances will Turkey allow any political exploitation of this nature,” Davutoğlu said, according to a report the state-owned Anadolu news agency released on its website on Tuesday.
He dismissed the possibility of the resolution being submitted to the Senate, saying that this is “not expected” and that Turkey does not anticipate the “possibility of the resolution being adopted.” He stated that Kerry also told him that he did not expect the resolution to pass the next stage.
“If the resolution is submitted to the Senate or plenary session of the House of Representatives or if a statement is made by the government, we will reiterate our position and on the condition of it being adopted, it will most certainly not be possible for Turkey to remain silent,” Davutoglu said.

Source: Panorama.am

[Yervant1]

TURKEY 'READY TO CONFRONT ITS HISTORY': PARLIAMENT SPEAKER

Turkish Press
April 15 2014

Tuesday, April 15, 2014

ANKARA - The claims of Armenian genocide were on the agenda for a
meeting held between Turkish Parliament Speaker Cemil Cicek and U.S.

House of Representatives Speaker John Boehner in the Turkish capital
of Ankara on Tuesday.

Last week, the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee approved a
bill affirming Armenian allegations of genocide in 1915, during the
First World War.

Cicek said that the world's parliaments should focus on the present
and the future, whereas history should be left to the historians. He
stressed, referring to the Armenian genocide claims, "We are ready
to confront our history."

House Speaker Boehner also drew attention to the approved bill
regarding the 1915 incidents, adding that the Senators involved are
law-makers and not historians. Pointing to his 24 years-duty at the
U.S. House of Representatives, Boehner said that Armenian genocide
claims have added to the agenda of House of Representatives from time
to time.

"Our Congress will not get involved in this issue, we are not writing
history, we are also not historians," said Boehner.

[gamavor]

Prostitute governments can not hold high moral grounds. That said, instead of spending precious time and money on futal causes Armenians should finaly realize that what is lost can be recovered only by nukes. Stop talking from the possition of weakness and start thinking about how to get back Nakhichevevan, Van, etc.

[Yervant1]

15:33 17/04/2014 » REGION

Genocide issue is subject of political trade for U.S. – expert

The adoption of an Armenian Genocide Resolution by the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee is a semi-step whose aim is not the fair demand of the Armenian people, Turkish studies expert Ruben Melkonyan told reporters.
According to him, the Armenian Genocide issue is mostly a subject of political trade for the United States, which, on the one hand, exerts pressure on Turkey and on the other hand, tries to please Armenia and Armenian people. Unfortunately, these steps are taken within the context of cold political reckoning and have no final aim, he said.
Turkey’s reaction has become more aggressive on the threshold of the centenary of the Armenian Genocide, Melkonyan said, adding that the whole Turkish elite is involved in the campaign against the recognition of the Armenian Genocide.

Source: Panorama.am

[Yervant1]

US ASSURES TURKEY ABOUT "ARMENIAN GENOCIDE" BILL

Xinhua General News Service
April 15, 2014 Tuesday 1:16 AM EST

ANKARA April 15

Speaker of the United States House of Representatives John A. Boehner
Tuesday gave assurance to Turkey that the Congress will not get
involved in any "Armenian genocide" bill.

"The issue about Armenians comes up to the agenda (of Congress)
from time to time. Don't worry. Our Congress will not get involved in
this issue, we are not writing history, we are also not historians,"
Boehner told reporters after his meetings with Speaker of the Turkish
Parliament Cemil Cicek, semi-official Anadolu Agency reported.

The U.S. speaker said that his country seeks to boost bilateral ties
with Ankara, expressing gratitude for Turkey's support on issues such
as Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan.

Turkish speaker Cicek stressed that resolutions about claims of
Armenian genocide that are brought to the agenda of the U.S. Congress
are "burden" in bilateral relations.

The world's parliaments should "build present and future, whereas
history should be left to the historians," Cicek noted.

An "Armenian genocide" resolution about incidents of 1915 has been
passed at the U.S. Senate's Foreign Relations Committee last Thursday.

The Armenian government said up to 1.5 million of their forebears were
killed in 1915 and 1916 by the forces of Ottoman Empire in a bid of
"genocide."

Turkey argues that only 500,000 Armenians died in fighting and
starvation during the World War I, and denies this was genocide.

[MosJan]

giteq inch poxanak et milyyoner@ tsaxsel es political lobiey vra.. kareli e aveli jisht, teghin tsaxsel ..

[Yervant1]

The irony is that they get money from both sides and look like the good guys. You know what if they can do it and get away with it, good on them I guess we're the stupid ones for falling for this BS time and time again.

[Yervant1]

EXPERT: US UNTIE TURKEY'S HANDS IN ITS STRUGGLE AGAINST ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RECOGNITION

April 18, 2014 | 17:46

YEREVAN. - The United States untie Turkey's hands in its shameless
struggle against international recognition of the Armenian Genocide,
analyst Ruben Safrastyan said.

Safrastyan, director of Armenia Institute of Orientology, said
escalation in Russia-West relations leads inevitably to the growth
of Ankara's significance for U.S.

"Turkey felt the moment, trying to get every possible advantage,"
Safrastayn emphasized.

He noted that a few days after the adoption of Armenian Genocide
resolution by the Senate Committe, the Speaker of the House of
Representatives John Boehner paid an unexpected visit to Turkey.

During his stay in Ankara, Boehner assured Turkish leaders that the
resolution does not have future because writing of history is not
the role of Congress.

"The visit apparently was the result of a deal between Washington
and Ankara. Turkey got guarantees that the issue of Armenian Genocide
recognition will not get further development," he concluded.

The Armenian Genocide resolution by the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations
Committee last week.

http://news.am/eng/news/205172.html

[Yervant1]

Turkey still haunted by Genocide a hundred years later

By Harut Sassounian
TheCaliforniaCourier.com

Every time that the Armenian Genocide is mentioned anywhere in the world, Turkish officials protest hysterically like children caught with the hand in the cookie jar!

The Turkish leaders’ psychotic behavior could be explained by their guilty conscience, despite public protestations of innocence, knowing full well that their ancestors did indeed commit one of the most heinous crimes in the annals of history -- genocide!

Last week, the world witnessed yet another manifestation of Turkish temper tantrums when the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, despite heavy-handed pressure from the Ankara regime and its highly compensated lobbying firms, adopted Resolution 410 on the Armenian Genocide with a 12 to 5 vote. This is the first time in a quarter century that this body has approved such a Resolution.

Even though the Turkish government is amid all sorts of turmoil at home and abroad, officials in Ankara made the Senate Genocide Resolution their top priority. For a few days, Prime Minister Erdogan set aside his despotic moves against facebook, YouTube, and Twitter to hide his and several ministers’ multi-million dollar money laundering and bribery schemes. He also ignored revelations of secretly taped conversations during which Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and other high ranking officials were plotting to orchestrate attacks on Turkey from across the border, which would then be used as a pretext to attack Syria in support of jihadist terrorists who are unsuccessfully battling the Assad regime.

The Turkish diatribe against the Senate action included Davutoglu’s warning that “Turkey would not remain silent” if the Armenian Genocide Resolution goes from Committee to the full Senate. The Turkish Foreign Ministry issued an even harsher reaction, accusing the Committee of “exceeding its authority and responsibility.” Davutoglu rushed to call Secretary of State John Kerry urging him to prevent passage of the Resolution.

Also getting into the act was Parliament Speaker Cemil Cicek, calling the Armenian issue a “burden” in American-Turkish relations. A commentator for the widely circulated Hurriyet newspaper noted that the Genocide Resolution would raise the blood pressure in Ankara! Former Turkish Ambassador Omer Engin Lutem chimed in acknowledging that Turkey is “forced to expand a great deal of effort in order to prevent the passing of such Resolutions,” not to mention the millions of dollars spent on lobbying firms each year!

Pro-Erdogan newspapers even resorted to publishing falsehoods about the Genocide Resolution by claiming that the measure is no longer valid since it was not adopted by the full Senate before April 24 or that the Resolution was meaningless because House Speaker John Boehner announced in Ankara that he would not allow the House version to come to the floor. Of course, both these claims are false, as the House and Senate versions are not part of a joint Resolution and can be adopted separately by either chamber later in the year.

Armenian-American voters should do everything possible to prevent the re-election of Cong. Boehner in November. Similarly, the Armenian community should oppose those Senators who shamefully voted against this Resolution, even after Sen. Menendez removed several clauses to accommodate the opponents. The five Republican Senators who voted against are: John Barrasso (WY), Bob Corker (TN), Jeff Flake (AZ), Ron Johnson (WI), and James Risch (ID). On the other hand, Armenian-Americans should strongly support the 12 Senators who voted in favor of the Armenian Genocide Resolution: Chairman Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Benjamin Cardin (D-MD), Christopher Coons (D-DE), Richard Durbin (D-IL), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Edward Markey (D-MA), John McCain (R-AZ), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Marco Rubio (R-FL), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), and Tom Udall (D-NM).

One of the unexpected consequences of the Resolution was the deepening rift between two formidable forces in Turkey -- Prime Minister Erdogan and the influential Islamic cleric Fethullah Gulen. Erdogan accused Gulen supporters of siding with “the Armenian lobby” by contributing close to $10,000 to Sen. Menendez’s campaign. The Turkic American Alliance (TAA) refuted Erdogan’s accusations, stating that the group has “always expressed its displeasure to Menendez over resolutions that upset Turks and Azerbaijanis.” TAA officials promised to sue Turkish journalists for claiming that their organization supported the Armenian Resolution.

A final thought: contrary to public impression, the primary objective of introducing Armenian Genocide resolutions is not to attain genocide recognition which has already been accomplished several times: US government’s official report to the World Court in 1951, Pres. Reagan’s 1981 Proclamation, and House Resolutions in 1975 and 1984. These Resolutions simply serve as a convenient tool to keep the Armenian Genocide a burning issue and focus media attention on the Armenian Cause. Furthermore, the Resolutions routinely create total panic in Ankara due to Turkish officials’ hysterical reaction. The Turkish government also wastes tens of millions of dollars each year to counter Resolutions which merely express the “sense of Congress.”

Armenian efforts to pass such Resolutions are a form of retribution against successive Turkish governments for not coming to terms with the skeletons in their closet.

[Yervant1]

We need to be better organized ahead of Genocide centennial ` Armenian
journalist

13:12 ¢ 19.04.14


Armenia's preparations for the 2015 Genocide centennial look more like
an obligation than serious efforts towards drawing the world's
attention to the issue, says a former journalist of the
Turkish-Armenian weekly Agos.

`We have a problem in terms of being organized. We have different
institutions - the Genocide Museum, the Yerevan State University and
the National Academy of Sciences ` which all carry out work in this
direction, but there is no coordinating body. Government officials
have neither a clear understanding nor policies. We have had three
presidents, and all the three expressed different positions on the
Genocide issue. But that isn't the case with the Turks,' Tiran
Lokmagyozyan told a news conference in Yerevan.

He stressed the importance of probing into the archives in most
different states to find more evidence.

`There are foreign archives around the world, which haven't been
studied; so it is important to research them to find valuable facts.
But we haven't fully studied our national archive. A couple of books
on several studies were published recently, but that's very little,'
he added,

Khachatur Marozyan, the president of the International Association of
Lawyers and Psychologists, said it is now time for Armenia to appeal
to international criminal courts in search of a fair settlement.

`We call for having new conceptual approaches on the table. Appealing
to the states to recognize the Armenian Genocide does not offer a
solution to the problem, as any country guides itself by its own
interest. Any crime receives a punishment in court,' he added.

Marozyan stressed the need of turning to the international community `
international genocide experts and lawyers ` in the efforts towards
seeking an international recognition and condemnation of the big
tragedy.


http://www.tert.am/en/news/2014/04/19/tiran-loqmagyozyan/