Ruben Melkonyan: U.S.-adopted amendments belated

PanARMENIAN.Net - The belated U.S.-adopted amendments pressing Turkey to return stolen Christian churches in the Committee of the U.S. House of Representatibves, are more the issue of political commerce than pro-Armenian action,” Ruben Melkonyan, Armenian PhD in Ottoman studies told PanARMENIAN.Net

The resolution of the Committee is an additional pressure lever on Turkey, said PhD in Ottoman studies.

“With these amendments U.S. will replenish its ‘pressure base’ to apply on Turkey,” said the expert adding that the only positive effect of this resolution may be demonstration of the example by U.S., which may be followed by other international organizations to motivate them pass similar amendments as a result of which Christian churches may either get status or be returned to their real owners.

Melkonyan underscored that Turkey having premonition started restoration of both Armenian and Greek churches to demonstrate the international community that the country is not indifferent to historical monuments and there are no reasons for pressure.

On July 21, with a vote of 43 to 1, the House Foreign Affairs Committee today overwhelmingly adopted the Berman-Cicilline Amendment, pressing Turkey to return stolen Christian churches and to end its repression of its Christian minority.

House Foreign Affairs Committee Ranking Democrat Howard Berman (D-Calif.) was joined by Rep. David Cicilline (D-R.I.) in offering the amendment to the State Department Authorization bill, based upon language from H.Res.306, the “Return of Churches” resolution spearheaded by Rep. Ed Royce (R-Calif.) and Howard Berman (D-Calif.), both senior members of the Foreign Affairs Committee.

The resolution is supported by 31 congressmen. Howard Berman also supports H.Res. 304 on acknowledgement of the Armenian Genocide.

A bipartisan group of U.S. legislators are set to introduce two resolutions in support of a truthful and just resolution of the Armenian Genocide, including a new measure specifically pressing Turkey to fully respect the rights of Christians to practice their faith in freedom, including through the rightful return of confiscated churches to Armenians, Greeks, Assyrians, Pontians, Arameans (Syriacs) and other Christians communities.