ANCA: Congressmen yielded to Turkish threats

PanARMENIAN.Net - "Trying to advance American interests by compromising our values is a fast-track to failure in foreign policy," ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian said when commenting on the decision by H.Res.106 leading authors to call for a revised schedule for the House consideration.



"By enabling Turkey's genocide denial, America undermines its own ability to be a positive influence in the Middle East and around the world," he said.



In a letter circulated today to every member of the House, Hamparian noted that, "In the days since the House Foreign Affairs Committee approved the Armenian Genocide resolution (H.Res.106), the initial cautious response by many Members of Congress to Turkey's threats has already begun to give way to a more lasting impression of disappointment, even anger, that an ally is so brazenly threatening the security of our troops." He added that, "we are confident that, as the confusion over these threats lifts, an even stronger bipartisan majority will stand up against Turkey's intimidation and vote to adopt this human rights resolution on its merits."



The four leading Democratic sponsors of the Armenian Genocide Resolution (H.Res.106) have called on Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) to adopt a revised schedule for the consideration of this human rights legislation by the House of Representatives, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).



In a letter sent today to Speaker Pelosi, lead author Adam Schiff (D-CA), Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chair Frank Pallone (D-NJ), and Representatives Brad Sherman (D-CA) and Anna Eshoo (D-CA) stressed that, in asking for this delay, "we believe that a large majority of our colleagues want to support a resolution recognizing the genocide on the House floor and that they will do so, provided the timing is more favorable." The letter goes on to note that they will continue to work with Speaker Pelosi's staff and the House Foreign Affairs Committee staff to bring up the resolution "sometime later this year or in 2008."