ANKARA (Hurriyet)–U.S. Ambassador to Ankara James Jeffrey warned Turkish deputies on Tuesday that the Armenian Genocide resolution (H.Res.252) would likely pass through the U.S. Congress in March unless the Turkish Parliament quickly ratifies agreements with Armenia to normalize relations and open borders, The Turkish Daily News reported Tuesday, citing unnamed “reliable” sources.
Jeffrey made his comments during an hour-and-a-half long meeting with members of the Turkish Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Commission. During the meeting, commission members expressed their concern to Jeffrey over the prospects of the bill’s passage.
Commission Chairman, Murat Mercan told the US envoy, that the deputies would “do what is best for our country regardless of the outside effects.”
Mercan’s sentiments were echoed by Onur Oymen, a deputy from the opposition Republican People’s Party. Oymen said the protocols would not be ratified by the Turkish Grand National Assembly until Armenia agrees to a settlement of the Karabakh conflict favoring Azerbaijan.
According to Hurriyet, the commission also warned Jeffrey that the pending resolution. If passed, would torpedo ongoing normalization talks with Armenia. The U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee is expected to vote on the bill on March 4.
Jeffrey, for his part, told reporters before the meeting that the US government would “give full support for the [normalization] process between Turkey and Armenia.”
“As President [Barack] Obama noted in his speech at the Turkish Parliament, the best way is to continue this process. That’s why we send this message to both countries,” he said.
Jeffrey assured the Turkish deputies that he “will convey the message given by [them].”
I am thinking about our case
My grandfathers family had lots of land in Kayseri
They were murdered by the Turks and had their lands taken away from them.
There are many people like us.
We dont have any documents to proove this.
How are we going to get compentsated for something like this.
The punishment must be severe.
That was what the so-called commissions were supposed to have discussed. There may be some lawsuits in the US brought on behalf of Armenians using the PanAm scenario (there is no statute of limitations on murder).
who knows the blue-eyed woman next to james?
I’ll believe it when I see it pass with my two eyes. The only reason why officials from the Turkish government and the RA should be sitting down and discussing anything is to discuss how Ankara will return Armenian lands it stole after rapping and murdering our ancestors during the Armenian Genocide of 1915. Until that happens, any talk about so called reconciliation is a joke and another slap in our face that wont be tolerated. When the Turks begin acting like a civilized nation that can account for its bloody past void of a showy facade of ignorance then I may consider giving them the time of day.
History repeats irself. Over and over again, it’s not about recognizing the historical truth and upholding universal human values. It’s about playing upon the great calamity and the loss of ancient ancestral lands that Armenians have suffered immensely to advance outside powers’ economic interests. Look how the genocide issue is being used in order to press the Turks to open the borders. Once they’re open Armenians will enter another 100-year round of the Genocide denial by the irresponsible and hypocritical U.S. government. This is the U.S. politicians’ true face. Disgusting!
EXACTLY.
It sickens me to see how the genocide of the Armenians is being instrumentalised as a tool of diplomacy and pressure.
Hrant M. is right. Turkey has closed the border between Armenia, continually denied and attempted to cast doubt on the Armenian genocide, and now with these protocols, Turkey is opening the borders on its own terms and conditions and casting further doubt on the genocide issue. There is no win for Armenia under such conditions, and while I, like every other Armenian, want peace with Turkey, it can only be achieved after reconciliation. In any civil society if you kick someone out of their house and live there, regardless how long, it is illegal. This is what happened in Western Armenia. To call the land which has been soaked with the blood Armenians as your own after you murdered its populations, and then call Armenians occupiers of another country, is absurd. This is who we are shaking hands with and signing agreements?
Miteh hayotc patmutyun kartank tesnenk te ays bolor arten yeghel eh 100 tari arach yerp vor menk nuyn dzevov vstahetcinq Young Turk karavarutyun@. Please read your history.
Dear Frank , I indihope you also support Amarican indians to get their lands back. The punishment must be severe too.