Two groups of Turkish parliamentarians resumed Tuesday their lobbying efforts against the Armenian “genocide” bill that will be voted on by the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs on Thursday.
Turkish Parliament Foreign Affairs Commission head Murat Mercan said that such a measure will be seen by the Turkish public as “inappropriate pressure on Turkey,” warning: “There will be an overwhelming public reaction and outcry [over the ‘genocide’ bill].”
Şükrü Elekdağ, former Turkish ambassador to the United States and an opposition Republican People’s Party, or CHP, member said the Armenian issue should not be allowed to have a detrimental effect on U.S.-Turkish relations. Mithat Melen, Istanbul deputy from the National Movement Party, or MHP, also said the passage of the resolution would not only be detrimental to the U.S.-Turkey and Turkey-Armenia relationships, but also would be very bad news for about 50,000 Armenian illegal workers, whom he said live in Istanbul.
Possible chill
Meanwhile, Turkish Parliament U.S. Caucus head Suat Kınıklıoğlu, who led the second Turkish group, also drew attention to a possible chill in U.S.-Turkish ties and said the partnership between the two countries “should not be marred by events of almost 100 years ago.” He also said the passage of the resolution might “radicalize” an already sensitive debate within Turkey about the future of Turkish-Armenian relations.
Noting the United States and Turkey have worked closely and constructively together on a wide range of international issues, Mercan said: “If the resolution passes the House Foreign Affairs Committee, this mutually beneficial cooperation will be put into immediate jeopardy. That outcome is good for neither Turkey nor the United States.”
Responding to a question, Mercan said they have not talked to any officials from the U.S. administration yet, and said the place they like to be more involved is with the U.S. Congress, where the vote will be taken. Nevertheless, Mercan conceded that the U.S. administration’s role is always important and they still expect the U.S. administration take a greater role to stop the resolution.
While discussing the protocols between Turkey and Armenia, Elekdağ reminded Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s promise that Turkey will not open the borders with Armenia unless the former Soviet country withdraws from the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region. He described the relationships between Turkey and Azerbaijan as “holy,” and said he received assurances repeatedly by both the prime minister and foreign minister.
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