Larisa Alaverdyan: U.S. wants to preserve image of Christian country

PanARMENIAN.Net - The U.S.-adopted amendments pressing Turkey to return stolen Christian churches are not pro-Armenian action,” the member of Heritage faction Larisa Alaverdyan told PanARMENIAN.Net reporter.

The decision is aimed to preserve image of United States as a Christian country, according to her.

“Today many Christian churches, as well as other Christian values are under threat and U.S. must react on it,” she said.

Alaverdyan underlined that the decision may arouse aggressive reaction in Turkey, particularly, among nationalists.

Many Turkish political parties may take this decision as pressure leverage on Turkey, she believes.

However, Alaverdyan expressed confidence that the resolution will not spoil relations between the two countries, as they have common interests and are bound with many processes.

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.