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TURKEY PAYS MONEY FOR DENIAL OF ARMENIAN GENOCIDE IN U.S.
PanARMENIAN.Net
01.06.2007 14:19 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ U.S. Department of Justice files obtained this week
by the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) reveal details
about Turkey's new lobbying contract with DLA Piper, including a
controversial - although not entirely surprising - provision that
seeks to prevent even "debate" in the United States on legislation
"that harms Turkey's interests or image."
According to the contract, Turkey is to pay DLA Piper $1.2 million for
the year and an additional $750,000 to The Livingston Group, headed
by Robert Livingston, a former Congressional leader who resigned in
1998 after a personal scandal.
"These new Department of Justice filings reveal just how deeply Dick
Gephardt has sunk, compromising his integrity by turning against a
human rights issue he energetically supported as an elected Member
of Congress," said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. "We are
especially troubled by the provision in the contract that seeks to
export Turkey's Criminal Code Article 301 to the United States by
requiring DLA Piper to prevent even 'debate' on issues Turkey considers
harmful to its image. This requirement, which falls far outside the
American democratic tradition, is, sadly, entirely consistent with
Turkish government's efforts to suppress freedom of expression by
criminalizing speech that 'insults Turkishness.'"
As a member of the House, Gephardt cosponsored legislation recognizing
the Armenian Genocide, as recently as H.Res.193 in 2003, and dating
all the way back to H.J.Res.192, more than 20 years ago, during the
99th Congress, the ANCA reports.
PanARMENIAN.Net
01.06.2007 14:19 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ U.S. Department of Justice files obtained this week
by the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) reveal details
about Turkey's new lobbying contract with DLA Piper, including a
controversial - although not entirely surprising - provision that
seeks to prevent even "debate" in the United States on legislation
"that harms Turkey's interests or image."
According to the contract, Turkey is to pay DLA Piper $1.2 million for
the year and an additional $750,000 to The Livingston Group, headed
by Robert Livingston, a former Congressional leader who resigned in
1998 after a personal scandal.
"These new Department of Justice filings reveal just how deeply Dick
Gephardt has sunk, compromising his integrity by turning against a
human rights issue he energetically supported as an elected Member
of Congress," said ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian. "We are
especially troubled by the provision in the contract that seeks to
export Turkey's Criminal Code Article 301 to the United States by
requiring DLA Piper to prevent even 'debate' on issues Turkey considers
harmful to its image. This requirement, which falls far outside the
American democratic tradition, is, sadly, entirely consistent with
Turkish government's efforts to suppress freedom of expression by
criminalizing speech that 'insults Turkishness.'"
As a member of the House, Gephardt cosponsored legislation recognizing
the Armenian Genocide, as recently as H.Res.193 in 2003, and dating
all the way back to H.J.Res.192, more than 20 years ago, during the
99th Congress, the ANCA reports.