Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Armenian American Leadership Opposes Deployment Of Turkish Forces In

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Armenian American Leadership Opposes Deployment Of Turkish Forces In

    ARMENIAN AMERICAN LEADERSHIP OPPOSES DEPLOYMENT OF TURKISH FORCES IN LEBANON

    Noyan Tapan
    Armenians Today
    Aug 31 2006

    WASHINGTON, AUGUST 31, NOYAN TAPAN - ARMENIANS TODAY. Armenian
    Apostolic, Catholic and Evangelical churches in the United States
    were joined by leading grassroots Armenian American organizations in
    urging President Bush to oppose the deployment of Turkish forces within
    Lebanon as part of an international peacekeeping operation. According
    to the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA), in a letter sent
    to the White House on August 30, the community leaders stressed that,
    "Turkey's record of genocide, massacres, aggression and torture
    is deeply inscribed in the collective memory of the Lebanese, the
    Armenians, the Greeks, the Cypriots, the Kurds and the Arab people
    everywhere.

    Far from being a credible peacemaker, Turkey carries heavy liabilities
    that would only complicate an already complex peacemaking mission
    that the U.S. must pursue in Lebanon and the region." The following
    Churches and community organizations participated in this initiative:
    Armenian Catholic Exarchy of the United States and Canada, Armenian
    Missionary Association of America, Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic
    Church, Eastern U.S., Prelacy of the Armenian Apostolic Church,
    Western U.S., Armenian American Democratic Leadership Council, Armenian
    National Committee of America, Armenian Relief Society, Armenian Youth
    Federation, Hamazkayin Armenian Cultural and Educational Society,
    Homenetmen Armenian General Athletic Union, National Organization of
    Republican Armenians. The leadership of the Lebanese Armenian community
    unanimously and forcefully opposes the introduction of Turkish troops
    onto Lebanese soil. Earlier this month, the three Armenian political
    parties in Lebanon, namely the Armenian Revolutionary Federation,
    the Social Democratic Henchakian Party, and the Armenian Democratic
    Liberal Party, issued a joint declaration expressing the collective
    opposition of Lebanese Armenians to any Turkish participation in
    peacekeeping operations. An appeal against the introduction of Turkish
    forces was also released by Lebanon's Armenian religious leadership,
    comprising the Armenian Apostolic, Armenian Catholic, and Armenian
    Evangelical communities.

    His Holiness Aram I, Catholicos of Cilicia, earlier this week wrote
    a letter to Kofi Annan, Secretary General of the United Nations,
    expressing opposition to the deployment of Turkish forces in
    Lebanon. In a powerfully worded letter he addressed Turkey's ongoing
    use of aggression and genocide, describing Turkish participation in
    a peacekeeping mission as "morally unacceptable." The opposition of
    the Greek American community to the inclusion of Turkish forces in
    Lebanon's peacekeeping operation was communicated to the President
    last month in a letter from the American Hellenic Institute.
Working...
X