ANCA joins U.S. Congressmen to block $111m sale of arms to Turkey

PanARMENIAN.Net - The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) joined with a bipartisan group of U.S. Representatives in seeking to block a proposed $111 million sale of U.S. arms to Turkey over Ankara's increasingly belligerent actions against Armenia, Cyprus, and Israel.

"We join with friends of Armenia, Cyprus, Israel, and the Kurds - as well as with all those who respect human rights and seek a sustainable regional peace - in seeking to block arms sales to a government in Ankara that openly boasts of using all the military resources at its disposal to rain death upon Kurds – both within Turkey and inside the Kurdistan Regional Government, to threaten Armenia, menace Cyprus, and antagonize Israel," said Aram Hamparian, Executive Director of the ANCA.

"We are deeply concerned by Turkey's increased saber rattling, its threats against Israel, its outlook toward the European Union, its occupation of Cyprus and its unrelenting blockade of Armenia," stated Reps. Shelley Berkley (D-NV) and Eliot Engel (D-NY), upon introduction of the bill. "It appears as though our long-standing ally in Ankara is not only drifting toward confrontation with its friends and allies, but is also cozying up to some of our most entrenched enemies. The U.S. should be busy raising these very serious concerns with Turkey, rather than selling arms to them."

Representatives Berkley and Engel further elaborate their concerns in a "Dear Colleague" letter urging support for H.J.Res.83. "While Turkey was late to distance itself from the nightmare in Syria and has worked to gloss over the dangers of the Iranian regime, it still refuses to apologize for the Armenian Genocide," explained the resolution's supporters.

The sale proposed by the Obama Administration late last month would include AH-1W Super Cobra Attack Helicopters, engines, spare parts, training equipment, technical documentation and support services. Under Section 36(b) of the Arms Export Control Act, the Administration must notify Congress 15 days before selling arms to a NATO ally such as Turkey, if the sale is $50 million or more. After 15 days, the sale can be finalized, unless Congress passes legislation prohibiting or modifying the proposed sale.

The resolution introduced by Berkley and Engel would prohibit this sale. Cosponsors of the Berkley-Engel bill, H.J.Res.83, include Reps. Gus Bilirakis (R-FL), Michael Grimm (R-NY), Steve Israel (D-NY), Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), James McGovern (D-MA), Frank Pallone (D-NJ), and Ed Royce (R-CA).