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New US ambassador to Turkey avoids calling the events of 1915 as â€œgenocideâ€

21 July 2010 08:52 (UTC +04:00)

According to APAâ€™s Washington DC correspondent, Mr. Ricciardone avoided calling the events of 1915 as â€œgenocideâ€, saying that â€œtogether, the Turkish and Armenian people will be stronger as they acknowledge their common history and recognize their common humanity.â€

During the testimony Senator Robert Menendez asked how Turkey should be navigated on its policy concerning 1915 events and normalization process with Armenia, as well as Cyprus problem.

The new Ambassador-to-be, called the events 1915 â€œmassacreâ€ quoting US President Barack Obama.

â€œWe commended the governments of Turkey and Armenia on their signing of the historic protocols on normalization of relations on October 10, 2009 in Zurich. Both countries publicly reiterated their commitment to normalization this spring. The United States will continue to urge Turkey to ratify the protocols, and we will support programs that build understanding between Turks and Armeniansâ€ â€“ he said.

He also assured that, Cyprus, normalization process with Armenia, Iran, Israel, Iraq and Afghanistan issues will be main agenda during his serve in Ankara.

Speaking about regional developments, the new US Ambassador-to-be pointed out that, the US welcome the June 7 agreement signed by Turkey and Azerbaijan on the gas purchase and transit of Azerbaijani gas to Turkey.

â€œThis agreement is an important milestone in laying the foundation for the Southern Corridor. This corridor could include the Nabucco pipeline, the Turkey-Greece- Italy Interconnector (ITGI), or the Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP). Turkey would play an integral transit role in all three pipelines. The corridor would provide commercial benefit for the countries of the Caucasus and Central Asia and also create a long-term partnership based on mutual interests with Europe. Overseeing the safe passage of oil through the Bosporus Straits and the transport of oil through the BTC pipeline, which pumps nearly a million barrels of oil a day to the Turkish port of Ceyhan, Turkey plays an important role in world energy marketsâ€ - he said.

Mr. Ricciardone also reminded that, building on US-Turkey close cooperation in the 1990s that helped make Baku- Tbilisi-Ceyhan (BTC) a reality, the U.S. and Turkey are working together to bring Caspian gas to European markets for the first time through a new route called the "Southern Corridor."

US Senator Richard Lugar from Indiana, co-chair of Committee mentioned that Turkey remains a vital partner for the United States, despite several recent disagreements.

â€œOur next ambassador must continue to develop opportunities to reinvigorate the U.S.-Turkish alliance. One such opportunity concerns energy security and the development of the Nabucco pipeline as a southern energy corridor to Europe. Completion of the Nabucco project will directly connect nations of the Caspian region, the Caucasus and Europe, bringing energy diversification that will benefit supply, transit, and consumer countries alikeâ€, Lugar said.

In his statement before the panel Chairman of the Committee John Kerry also expressed his hope that the Senate can confirm Ricciardoneâ€™s nominee in the weeks ahead.