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ANKARA: Kerry Campaign Yields to Armenian Lobby

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  • ANKARA: Kerry Campaign Yields to Armenian Lobby

    Source: Zaman Gazetesi -
    http://www.zaman.com/?bl=national&alt=&t rh=20041017&hn=13067

    NATIONAL 10.17.2004 Sunday

    Kerry Campaign Yields to Armenian Lobby

    News of a statement by US Presidential Democratic candidate John Kerry, I
    did not say I will accept the Armenian genocide law draft, published in
    Zaman last week caused indignation to rise among some Armenian groups.

    Kerry's campaign took a step backwards on the issue of genocide because of
    reactions and pressure from the Armenian lobby, which will play a critical
    role in the elections on November 2nd. The Asbarez, a newspaper linked to
    the America National Committee of Armenians (ANCA), published a statement
    attributed to Mark Kitchens, a spokesman for the Democrat candidate, which
    confirmed that Kerry supported the Armenian theses. The statement made to
    Asbarez said that Kerry has shown his support for US recognition of the
    Armenian genocide by his statements during the campaign period and by his
    work in the Senate.

    Kitchens statement dated October 9th is not posted in the press release
    section of John Kerry's official election web-site, www.johnkerry.com.
    Kerry's election bureau has not responded to Zaman's messages concerning
    Kitchens statements. Zaman has also not received a demand for a correction.
    In a statement made by Kerry to one of Zaman's correspondents in Washington
    at a party meeting on October 2nd, Kerry responded to claims that his party
    would accept the Armenian genocide law draft brought forth by the Armenian
    lobby. Kerry explained that he contributed to the efforts of Senator Robert
    Dole in 1990, but said he did not make any campaign statement that he would
    accept the draft. The special explanation of the Democrat candidate was
    published in Zaman on October 8, 2004. It has also been discovered that
    Kerry also denied claims that he would accept the draft in meetings he held
    with Turkish supporters.

    The presidents of several leading Turkish foundations in the US wrote
    letters to Kerry expressing their disappointment following the statement by
    Kitchens.

    10.17.2004
    Foreign News Service
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