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GENOCIDE BILL FIRST STEP TOWARD RESTITUTION, SAYS RET. US AMBASSADOR
Mustafa OÐuz
Turkish Daily News, Turkey
Oct 10 2007
'The Armenians' absolute rejection (of a joint commission) rather
tells me that they don't really want to have really careful analysis
of what happened,' President of the ATC says
A resolution submitted to the United States Congress is a first step
by Armenians toward territorial demands from Turkey, warned retired
U.S. Ambassador James Holmes in an interview with the Turkish Daily
News ahead of a crucial vote in the House today.
"I believe that many in the Diaspora see this in terms of step by step,
which is very threatening for Turkey. You finally get the U.S. Congress
to say that Turkey is guilty of genocide, step A. Step B, okay, the
world now says that Turkey is guilty of genocide. What's the proper
compensation for that action?" said Holmes, who is currently president
of the American Turkish Council (ATC).
Despite Turkey's efforts, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is expected to
take the resolution to the Foreign Affairs Committee to start the
process of approval. The resolution says Ottoman Turks committed
genocide during World War I, killing more than a million Ottoman
Armenians during a forced migration.
Restitution, insurance payments and territorial claims are next on
the list, said Holmes, noting the reluctance of the Armenian Diaspora
to come to grips with the fact that the "genocide cause" is not a
disinterested one. "Now some of the Diaspora has been candid enough to
say so. Most of them don't. When they go to senators and congressman
they don't say these things," he said.
Stick to the 'Joint Commission of Historians'
Holmes considered the refusal of Armenia to deliver a positive
response to Turkey's offer to set up a commission of historians as
its insincerity concerning the discovery of historic facts. "If you
really want to address this issue, this (founding a commission of
historians) is the way to do it. The Armenians' absolute rejection
rather tells me that they don't really want to have careful analysis of
what happened," he said. Holmes urged Turkish authorities to engage in
more ardent endeavors for the establishment of the "Joint Commission
of Historians" proposed by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoðan in a
letter to Armenian President Robert Kocharyan in 2005.
Notwithstanding the push in Congress for the passage of the bill,
Holmes reiterated that the bill is not consistent with the position
of the U.S. Administration, as reflected in a letter to members of the
U.S. House of Representatives by the chairman of the American-Turkish
Council, Brent Scowcroft. "Our purpose is to draw the attention
of the committee members that the bill is not consistent with our
foreign policy. It is not in the interest of U.S. national security
and it is not a fair treatment of a reliable ally," Holmes said. The
letter warns that the welfare of U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan
might be jeopardized if the bill passes since Turkey provides a major
supply line to them. Commercial relations are very likely to be dealt
a serious blow as well, added Holmes.
Holmes did not give up hope that the bill will be rejected, but he
is cautious nonetheless. "We will continue to argue in favor of the
joint commission of historians but unless we are able to defeat this
resolution, the commission won't happen," he said. Holmes underlined
that the bill does not require the president to do anything and argued
that it will not have any practical consequences in itself.
However, its impact will be great. "The consequence is on Turkey's
psyche. It is a finger in the eye for Turkey. Besides, it will have
negative commercial consequences," he said. The resolution must be
stopped, said Holmes, since Turkey is "one of our handful of partners
with whom the U.S. has this sort of thick relationship."
US failed its task as an ally
Commenting on Sunday's attacks on Turkish soldiers by the outlawed
Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), Holmes affirmed that the U.S. did not
appreciate fully the intensity with which the PKK problem is felt in
Turkey. "The U.S. has not responded to the pain of Turkey in a way
that I think an ally should," he said.
Holmes gave one reason of his own for the discrepancy between
the threat perceptions of two Cold-War allies with regard to
PKK terrorism. "Turkey and the U.S. on a military to military
relationship have been used to each other through the EUCOM
(U.S. European Command). But the connection in Iraq is through CENTCOM
(U.S. Central Command). It is a different command, command structure
and people. Part of the problem is the lack of understanding the
Turkish-U.S. relationship faces in CENTCOM's command," he said.
Whatever the enduring hardships, Turkey must continue its progress
toward the West, Holmes said. "Turkey has shared visions and shared
values with the U.S. and the West. I think that there is a surpassing
of shared interests on the part of Turkey and the U.S. which can
overcome these problems," he said.
--Boundary_(ID_3Zg37wgHNn6xKZvUMK653A)--
Mustafa OÐuz
Turkish Daily News, Turkey
Oct 10 2007
'The Armenians' absolute rejection (of a joint commission) rather
tells me that they don't really want to have really careful analysis
of what happened,' President of the ATC says
A resolution submitted to the United States Congress is a first step
by Armenians toward territorial demands from Turkey, warned retired
U.S. Ambassador James Holmes in an interview with the Turkish Daily
News ahead of a crucial vote in the House today.
"I believe that many in the Diaspora see this in terms of step by step,
which is very threatening for Turkey. You finally get the U.S. Congress
to say that Turkey is guilty of genocide, step A. Step B, okay, the
world now says that Turkey is guilty of genocide. What's the proper
compensation for that action?" said Holmes, who is currently president
of the American Turkish Council (ATC).
Despite Turkey's efforts, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is expected to
take the resolution to the Foreign Affairs Committee to start the
process of approval. The resolution says Ottoman Turks committed
genocide during World War I, killing more than a million Ottoman
Armenians during a forced migration.
Restitution, insurance payments and territorial claims are next on
the list, said Holmes, noting the reluctance of the Armenian Diaspora
to come to grips with the fact that the "genocide cause" is not a
disinterested one. "Now some of the Diaspora has been candid enough to
say so. Most of them don't. When they go to senators and congressman
they don't say these things," he said.
Stick to the 'Joint Commission of Historians'
Holmes considered the refusal of Armenia to deliver a positive
response to Turkey's offer to set up a commission of historians as
its insincerity concerning the discovery of historic facts. "If you
really want to address this issue, this (founding a commission of
historians) is the way to do it. The Armenians' absolute rejection
rather tells me that they don't really want to have careful analysis of
what happened," he said. Holmes urged Turkish authorities to engage in
more ardent endeavors for the establishment of the "Joint Commission
of Historians" proposed by Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoðan in a
letter to Armenian President Robert Kocharyan in 2005.
Notwithstanding the push in Congress for the passage of the bill,
Holmes reiterated that the bill is not consistent with the position
of the U.S. Administration, as reflected in a letter to members of the
U.S. House of Representatives by the chairman of the American-Turkish
Council, Brent Scowcroft. "Our purpose is to draw the attention
of the committee members that the bill is not consistent with our
foreign policy. It is not in the interest of U.S. national security
and it is not a fair treatment of a reliable ally," Holmes said. The
letter warns that the welfare of U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan
might be jeopardized if the bill passes since Turkey provides a major
supply line to them. Commercial relations are very likely to be dealt
a serious blow as well, added Holmes.
Holmes did not give up hope that the bill will be rejected, but he
is cautious nonetheless. "We will continue to argue in favor of the
joint commission of historians but unless we are able to defeat this
resolution, the commission won't happen," he said. Holmes underlined
that the bill does not require the president to do anything and argued
that it will not have any practical consequences in itself.
However, its impact will be great. "The consequence is on Turkey's
psyche. It is a finger in the eye for Turkey. Besides, it will have
negative commercial consequences," he said. The resolution must be
stopped, said Holmes, since Turkey is "one of our handful of partners
with whom the U.S. has this sort of thick relationship."
US failed its task as an ally
Commenting on Sunday's attacks on Turkish soldiers by the outlawed
Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), Holmes affirmed that the U.S. did not
appreciate fully the intensity with which the PKK problem is felt in
Turkey. "The U.S. has not responded to the pain of Turkey in a way
that I think an ally should," he said.
Holmes gave one reason of his own for the discrepancy between
the threat perceptions of two Cold-War allies with regard to
PKK terrorism. "Turkey and the U.S. on a military to military
relationship have been used to each other through the EUCOM
(U.S. European Command). But the connection in Iraq is through CENTCOM
(U.S. Central Command). It is a different command, command structure
and people. Part of the problem is the lack of understanding the
Turkish-U.S. relationship faces in CENTCOM's command," he said.
Whatever the enduring hardships, Turkey must continue its progress
toward the West, Holmes said. "Turkey has shared visions and shared
values with the U.S. and the West. I think that there is a surpassing
of shared interests on the part of Turkey and the U.S. which can
overcome these problems," he said.
--Boundary_(ID_3Zg37wgHNn6xKZvUMK653A)--