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Genocide Deniers In Congress Try To Shift Focus

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  • Genocide Deniers In Congress Try To Shift Focus

    GENOCIDE DENIERS IN CONGRESS TRY TO SHIFT FOCUS
    By Ara Khachatourian

    www.hairenik.com/weekly/2009/04/01/ genocide-deniers-in-congress-try-to-shift-focus/?e c3_listing=posts
    April 1, 2009

    A group of House members, who have traditionally opposed Congressional
    resolutions recognizing the Armenian Genocide, wrote a letter to the
    presidents of Armenia and Turkey expressing their support for what
    they called "lasting Armenian-Turkish rapprochement."

    These notorious genocide deniers-Representatives Robert Wexler, a
    member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee (D-Fla.); Ike Skelton
    (D-Mo.), the chairman of the House Armed Service Committee; John
    Murtha (D-Penn.), chairman of the House Subcommittee on Defense
    Appropriations; and Alcee Hastings (D-Fla.), co-chairman of the
    Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe-are the lead
    signatories of the letter.

    "As Members of Congress who agree that lasting Armenian-Turkish
    rapprochement should be a top priority for the United States, please
    know we are ready to assist your nations efforts to normalize relations
    and build a better future for generations of Armenians and Turks,"
    the representatives wrote in the letter.

    "It is essential that the building blocks of trust and cooperation
    are established between Armenia and Turkey to heal open wounds,
    mend broken hearts, and create a better future for both nations and
    peoples," they added.

    "This process is difficult and at times painful, but we remain hopeful
    that ongoing bilateral engagement will lead to a positive breakthrough
    that forever changes the dynamics of the region and opens the door
    to new possibilities and brighter futures for Armenia and Turkey,"
    they concluded.

    The objective of the letter is to divert attention from the Armenian
    Genocide Resolution, H.Res.252, which was introduced by representatives
    Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and George Radanovich (R-Calif.), to properly
    recognize the Armenian Genocide.

    On the eve of President Barack Obama's planned visit to Turkey and
    the Turkish government's efforts to shift the focus from genocide
    recognition to the so-called "Turkish-Armenian rapprochement," this
    letter goes on record as an almost organic follow-up to Turkish
    propaganda efforts and its current posturing on Capitol Hill.

    This effort should be viewed as nothing more than an insult to the
    Armenian American community, whose history is being summed up as an
    effort to "mend broken hearts" while at the same time fueling the
    cycle of genocide.

    It no surprise that the Turkish and Azeri press hailed this effort
    by prominently placing it on their websites. It is also a bit
    discomforting that the Armenian press, similarly, trumpeted this
    development without providing proper perspective to their readers.

    The opening of the Armenian-Turkish border and the establishing of
    diplomatic relations should not be confused with the imperative to
    recognize the Armenian Genocide. One has nothing to do with the other
    and the effort by the aforementioned members of the House should
    be deplored as a cheap effort to water down the genocide issue and
    compare apples with oranges.
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