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BosNewsLife, Hungary
Oct 14 2007
Armenia Christians Await Next US Vote On Genocide
Saturday, 13 October 2007
By BosNewsLife News Center
Representatives of House accepted non binding resolution on
genocide. YEREVAN/WASHINGTON (BosNewsLife)-- Armenian Christians on
Saturday were anxiously awaiting the next step by US House of
Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, after she promised to press
ahead on a resolution calling the 1915 massacre of Armenians by
Ottoman Turks "genocide", despite White House concerns it will damage
relations with Turkey, a key ally in the Iraq war.
Speaking after the 27 to 21 vote in the House Foreign Affairs
Committee approving the resolution, Pelosi reaffirmed her
determination to see the measure come to a vote in the House. "While
that may have been a long time ago, genocide is taking place now in
Darfur, it did within recent memory in Rwanda, so as long as there is
genocide there is need to speak out against it," said Pelosi.
Up to 1.5 million Armenian, Assyrian and Hellenic Christians were
killed by Turkish Ottoman forces in the 1915-1917 period. Turkey's
government has denied the figure or the involvement of Turkish forces
in mass killings and says the events did not constitute genocide.
It claims no more than 300,000 Armenians perished at the time, mainly
because of hunger and disease after they were forcibly deported from
eastern Turkey for having collaborated with invading Russian forces
in the last days of the Ottoman Empire.
At least a dozen countries and many historians have recognized the
killings as `genocide,' but anyone who challenges Turkey's official
version of history risks prosecution by Turkish authorities. Turkey
and neighboring Armenia still have no official relations. Pelosi's
efforts to get the events recognized as genocide did not came as a
surprise to observers: she comes from California, a state with a
large Armenian population, and she is on record as favoring the
resolution.
PRAISING DECISION
In published comments monitored by BosNewsLife Saturday, October 13,
Karekin II, the religious leader of Armenian Christians worldwide,
praised the Foreign Affairs vote. Speaking in Charlotte, North
Carolina, Karekin II said it will help right an injustice and help
relieve the "pain [Armenian] people have in their hearts" after more
than 90 years when the killings by the Ottoman Turks were often
denied.
It brings, he said, "consolation to the souls of the victims and the
survivors," The Charlotte Observer newspaper reported. Karekin II,
who is currently on a trip across the United States, said the vote
was important not just for Armenians but for all peoples, to ensure
such a tragedy never happens again.
The was also expected to be welcomed by many of the estimated one
million Armenian-Americans, with some of the biggest communities in
Boston and Los Angeles. Armenian churches follow a liturgy that dates
to the fourth century, when the Armenian people converted to
Christianity. The church has a hierarchy similar to the Catholic
Church, with priests, bishops and archbishops. Priests are allowed to
marry, but bishops and their superiors are not.
RELIGION IMPORTANT
Analysts say religion has kept the Armenian people together through
many tragic episodes in their history. In addition to the massacres
by the Turks, which Armenians maintain were an attempt at genocide,
the country was part of the Soviet Union from 1920 to 1990, when more
than 1,000 churches were closed, church watchers say.
Karekin told reporters he hopes the US vote will also encourage the
people of 21st century Turkey to overcome the past and "live life
more abundantly." That's not how Turkey views the situation. It
temporarily recalled its ambassador in Washington for consultations,
a traditional method of diplomatic protest.
Speaking in Washington, Egemen Bagis, a member of Turkey's governing
Justice and Development Party and advisor to Turkey's Prime Minister,
called the House committee vote a mistake and warned of consequences.
However, Congresswoman Pelosi of the Democratic Pary said she hopes
US-Turkish relations will remain strong.
"STRONG RELATIONSHIP"
"The U.S. and Turkey have a very strong relationship," she said. "It
is based on mutual interest and I with all the respect in the world
for the government of Turkey believe that our continued mutual
interest will have us grow that relationship. This isn't about the
Erdogan government [Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan], this is
about the [former] Ottoman Empire."
President George W. Bush, himself a self-declared born again
Christian, said this week's vote was a mistake. "Its passage would do
great harm to our relations with a key ally in NATO and in the global
war on terror," Bush said, shortly before the House Foreign Affairs
Committee accepted the non-binding resolution recognizing the
genocide.
Oct 14 2007
Armenia Christians Await Next US Vote On Genocide
Saturday, 13 October 2007
By BosNewsLife News Center
Representatives of House accepted non binding resolution on
genocide. YEREVAN/WASHINGTON (BosNewsLife)-- Armenian Christians on
Saturday were anxiously awaiting the next step by US House of
Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, after she promised to press
ahead on a resolution calling the 1915 massacre of Armenians by
Ottoman Turks "genocide", despite White House concerns it will damage
relations with Turkey, a key ally in the Iraq war.
Speaking after the 27 to 21 vote in the House Foreign Affairs
Committee approving the resolution, Pelosi reaffirmed her
determination to see the measure come to a vote in the House. "While
that may have been a long time ago, genocide is taking place now in
Darfur, it did within recent memory in Rwanda, so as long as there is
genocide there is need to speak out against it," said Pelosi.
Up to 1.5 million Armenian, Assyrian and Hellenic Christians were
killed by Turkish Ottoman forces in the 1915-1917 period. Turkey's
government has denied the figure or the involvement of Turkish forces
in mass killings and says the events did not constitute genocide.
It claims no more than 300,000 Armenians perished at the time, mainly
because of hunger and disease after they were forcibly deported from
eastern Turkey for having collaborated with invading Russian forces
in the last days of the Ottoman Empire.
At least a dozen countries and many historians have recognized the
killings as `genocide,' but anyone who challenges Turkey's official
version of history risks prosecution by Turkish authorities. Turkey
and neighboring Armenia still have no official relations. Pelosi's
efforts to get the events recognized as genocide did not came as a
surprise to observers: she comes from California, a state with a
large Armenian population, and she is on record as favoring the
resolution.
PRAISING DECISION
In published comments monitored by BosNewsLife Saturday, October 13,
Karekin II, the religious leader of Armenian Christians worldwide,
praised the Foreign Affairs vote. Speaking in Charlotte, North
Carolina, Karekin II said it will help right an injustice and help
relieve the "pain [Armenian] people have in their hearts" after more
than 90 years when the killings by the Ottoman Turks were often
denied.
It brings, he said, "consolation to the souls of the victims and the
survivors," The Charlotte Observer newspaper reported. Karekin II,
who is currently on a trip across the United States, said the vote
was important not just for Armenians but for all peoples, to ensure
such a tragedy never happens again.
The was also expected to be welcomed by many of the estimated one
million Armenian-Americans, with some of the biggest communities in
Boston and Los Angeles. Armenian churches follow a liturgy that dates
to the fourth century, when the Armenian people converted to
Christianity. The church has a hierarchy similar to the Catholic
Church, with priests, bishops and archbishops. Priests are allowed to
marry, but bishops and their superiors are not.
RELIGION IMPORTANT
Analysts say religion has kept the Armenian people together through
many tragic episodes in their history. In addition to the massacres
by the Turks, which Armenians maintain were an attempt at genocide,
the country was part of the Soviet Union from 1920 to 1990, when more
than 1,000 churches were closed, church watchers say.
Karekin told reporters he hopes the US vote will also encourage the
people of 21st century Turkey to overcome the past and "live life
more abundantly." That's not how Turkey views the situation. It
temporarily recalled its ambassador in Washington for consultations,
a traditional method of diplomatic protest.
Speaking in Washington, Egemen Bagis, a member of Turkey's governing
Justice and Development Party and advisor to Turkey's Prime Minister,
called the House committee vote a mistake and warned of consequences.
However, Congresswoman Pelosi of the Democratic Pary said she hopes
US-Turkish relations will remain strong.
"STRONG RELATIONSHIP"
"The U.S. and Turkey have a very strong relationship," she said. "It
is based on mutual interest and I with all the respect in the world
for the government of Turkey believe that our continued mutual
interest will have us grow that relationship. This isn't about the
Erdogan government [Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan], this is
about the [former] Ottoman Empire."
President George W. Bush, himself a self-declared born again
Christian, said this week's vote was a mistake. "Its passage would do
great harm to our relations with a key ally in NATO and in the global
war on terror," Bush said, shortly before the House Foreign Affairs
Committee accepted the non-binding resolution recognizing the
genocide.