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US Congress holds hearings â€œThe Caucasus: Frozen Conflicts and Closed Bordersâ€

19 June 2008 09:34 (UTC +04:00)

APAâ€™s US bureau reports that Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, pro-Armenian Congressman from California Howard Berman said that Turkeyâ€™s keeping the borders with Armenia closed contradicted the interests of the US. He said that closed borders between the two countries contradicted the terms of Gars treaty signed in 1922 and accelerated Yerevanâ€™s staying under the influence of Iran. The Committee Chairman said it was wrong to link closed borders between the two countries to Nagorno Karabakh conflict. Howard Berman has close links with influential Armenian lobby in California. His name was mentioned in one of the conflicts concerning Armenians. The Chairman of the Committee was criticized by the local communities for meeting with former chief of Armenian National Committee Murad Topalian, who was arrested on charges of swindle and terrorism and sentenced to 37-month imprisonment.
Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs Daniel Fried addressing the event
â€œWe have welcomed our progress with Azerbaijan in recent years on issues of security cooperation and diversification of energy supplies and pipelines, and have good, productive relations with Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev. We value Azerbaijanâ€™s troop contributions â€“ 150 soldiers in Iraq and 45 in Afghanistan. Azerbaijan has chosen to develop its relations with NATO at a slower pace, and we respect its choice. Azerbaijan has had the worldâ€™s fastest growing economy for three consecutive years. In the area of energy, Azerbaijan is emerging as one of Europeâ€™s critical, near-term alternative sources of natural gas,â€ he said.
Daniel Fried also touched upon the Nagorno Karabakh conflict.
â€œAn important step forward was taken by President Aliyev and Armenian President Sargsian when they met for the first time in St. Petersburg on June 6 to discuss the resolution of the conflictâ€, he said.
Daniel Fried once more stated that the US supported Azerbaijanâ€™s territorial integrity. Following this, Daniel Fried answered the questions of the Committee members. Pro-Armenian congressmen Adam Schiff (author of the bill on the so-called Armenian genocide and bill demanding opening of Turkey-Armenia borders, Co-chair of the Working Group on Armenia, New Jersey), Frank Pallone (Co-chair of the Working Group on Armenia, New Jersey), Brad Sherman (Co-author of the bills condemning the murder of journalist Hrant Dink and demanding recognition of so-called â€œArmenian genocideâ€, California), Diana Watson (California) and others also addressed the hearings.
Pro-Armenian congressmen expressed their concern over Turkey-Armenia border, so-called â€œArmenian genocideâ€ and military challenges of Azerbaijani leadership. Daniel Fried said that White House administration did not recognize so-called â€œArmenian genocideâ€ and severe statements of Azerbaijani leadership caused their concern. Co-chair of the Working Group on Turkey Robert Wexler (author of the bill condemning attack of Kurdish terrorists on Turkey and Turkish citizens), Jef Flake from Arizona and Dan Barton from Indiana brought to the notice of the participants that Turkey and Azerbaijan were strategic allies of the US and mentioned large transnational projects implemented in the region.