February 5, 2004 - 04:00 AMT
ARTICLE
ARMENIANS TRUST JOHN KERRY BUT NOT FOR 100 PERCENTS
One of the most probable U.S. Presidency candidates, John Kerry is the partner of Armenian lobbyists.
Armenian lobbyist organizations of America continue to keep up with the primaries of the USA. The Armenian structures focus on working with electoral headquarters of the campaign favorites.
The leader of the pre-election campaign, senator from Massachusetts, Democrat John Kerry, pays special attention to working with ethnical groups. (Maybe, in some way this is due to his Jewish origins). During the first primaries in New Hampshire he won mainly thanks to the support of national minorities. Kerry has always demonstrated his goodwill towards Armenians. Leaders of the Armenian Assembly of America and the Armenian National Committee started to collaborate with Kerry during his first term in the congress. In the pre-election period the interest of the politician towards the potential of the Armenian community increased. Last week, on the eve of the official visit of Turkey's Prime Minister to America, John Kerry with his 5 colleagues applied to President G. Bush urging him to influence on Recep Erdogan to remove Turkey's blockade of Armenia.

Besides, Kerry criticizes the Bush administration for its dependence from oil corporations lobbying the interests of Azerbaijan. Senator does his best to have the reputation of an opponent of oil lobby. Regarding the "special interests" and their lobbyists, he says: "We're coming, you're going and don't let the door hit you on the way out."

John Kerry has often signed the letters addressed to the President urging him to recognize the fact of the Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Turkey. Last year he was among the 167 congressmen who urged George Bush to use the word ''Genocide'' in his traditional message of April 24. However, his name is not included in the list of congressmen who agree to vote for the so-called ''Armenian resolution'' in case if it is included in the agenda. It means that the Presidential Candidate demands the recognition of the genocide from the administration but he himself is ready to do it only in case if the White House approves the initiative. He did not join those 46 congressmen who, in their letter to the U.S. President, in fact recognized the right of Karabakh people for self-determination. Kerry has voted for lifting the 907 section of the Freedom Support Act supposing sanctions towards Azerbaijan. Thus, it is evident that the leaders of Armenian lobbyists not always can count on Kerry's support.