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U.S former secretaries of state urge Congress to prevent resolution from reaching house floor

27 September 2007 09:58 (UTC +04:00)

Madeleine K. Albright, James A. Baker III, Warren Christopher, Lawrence S. Eagleburger, Alexander M. Haig, Henry A. Kissinger, Colin L. Powell and George P. Shultz who are playing important role in domestic and foreign policy of U.S. at present demanded it.
Formers stated that Res. 106 would harm their foreign policy objectives to promote reconciliation between Turkey and Armenia, also strain their relations with Turkey, and endanger US national security interests in the region, including the safety of their troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Influential political figures stated that they do not minimize or deny the enormous significance of the horrible tragedy suffered by ethnic Armenian from 1915 to 1923. It has been longstanding U.S. policy to encourage reconciliation between Turkey and Armenia and to urge the government of Turkey to acknowledge the tragedy. They believe that a public statement by the U.S. Congress at this juncture is likely to undermine what has been painstakingly achieved to date.
They also recognized important contributions Turkey is making to U.S. national security, including security and stability in the Middle East and Europe. The United States continues to rely on Turkey for its geo-strategic importance. Turkey is also a transit hub for non-OPEC oil and gas and remains key to our efforts to help the Euro-Atlantic community bolster its energy security by providing alternative supply sources and routes around Russia and Iran. Turkey is an indispensable partner to their efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The popularly elected Turkish Grand National Assembly might react strongly to a House resolution, as it did to a French National Assembly resolution a year ago. The result could endanger their national security interests in the region, including their troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, and damage efforts to promote reconciliation between Armenia and Turkey. The formers strongly urged Nancy Pelosi to prevent the resolution from reaching the house floor. /APA/