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ANTI-TURKEY BILL AT CONGRESS MOBILIZES TURKS IN WASHINGTON
Today's Zaman
July 19 2011
Turkey
The prospects of adopting a recently introduced bill which blames
the Ottoman Empire for "intentional destruction" of its Christian
population and which calls on the Republic of Turkey to "safeguard
its Christian heritage and to return confiscated church properties"
have mobilized both Turkish officials and the Turkish community living
in the US capital.
Members of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs are set to amend
the State Department authorization bill with language similar to that
of H.Res.306 -- the "Return of Churches" resolution spearheaded by Rep.
Ed Royce (R-CA) and Howard Berman (D-CA), both members of the Committee
on Foreign Affairs.
In order to be adopted, the amendments need to be approved by both
the House of Representatives and the Senate. Observers say even
if the House approves the bill, the amendment concerning Turkey
is likely to be rejected by the Senate. Still, with both Ankara and
Turkish-Americans not wanting to take any chances, an intense lobbying
campaign against the bill has been set in motion.
Turkish, Azerbaijani and other Turkic-American groups have been
holding talks with members of the Congress, while the Turkish Embassy
in Washington has mobilized its official lobbyists to lobby against
the bill.
A number of Armenian and Greek-American groups have, however, been
lending strong support to the bill.
The resolution, which has been included in the State Department
authorization bill, urges the Turkish government to "allow the
rightful church and lay owners of Christian church properties, without
hindrance or restriction, to organize and administer prayer services,
religious education, clerical training, appointments, and succession,
religious community gatherings, social services, including ministry
to the needs of the poor and infirm, and other religious activities;
return to their rightful owners all Christian churches and other places
of worship, monasteries, schools, hospitals, monuments, relics, holy
sites, and other religious properties, including movable properties,
such as artwork, manuscripts, vestments, vessels, and other artifacts;
and allow the rightful Christian church and lay owners of Christian
church properties, without hindrance or restriction, to preserve,
reconstruct, and repair, as they see fit, all Christian churches and
other places of worship, monasteries, schools, hospitals, monuments,
relics, holy sites, and other religious properties within Turkey."
From: Baghdasarian
Today's Zaman
July 19 2011
Turkey
The prospects of adopting a recently introduced bill which blames
the Ottoman Empire for "intentional destruction" of its Christian
population and which calls on the Republic of Turkey to "safeguard
its Christian heritage and to return confiscated church properties"
have mobilized both Turkish officials and the Turkish community living
in the US capital.
Members of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs are set to amend
the State Department authorization bill with language similar to that
of H.Res.306 -- the "Return of Churches" resolution spearheaded by Rep.
Ed Royce (R-CA) and Howard Berman (D-CA), both members of the Committee
on Foreign Affairs.
In order to be adopted, the amendments need to be approved by both
the House of Representatives and the Senate. Observers say even
if the House approves the bill, the amendment concerning Turkey
is likely to be rejected by the Senate. Still, with both Ankara and
Turkish-Americans not wanting to take any chances, an intense lobbying
campaign against the bill has been set in motion.
Turkish, Azerbaijani and other Turkic-American groups have been
holding talks with members of the Congress, while the Turkish Embassy
in Washington has mobilized its official lobbyists to lobby against
the bill.
A number of Armenian and Greek-American groups have, however, been
lending strong support to the bill.
The resolution, which has been included in the State Department
authorization bill, urges the Turkish government to "allow the
rightful church and lay owners of Christian church properties, without
hindrance or restriction, to organize and administer prayer services,
religious education, clerical training, appointments, and succession,
religious community gatherings, social services, including ministry
to the needs of the poor and infirm, and other religious activities;
return to their rightful owners all Christian churches and other places
of worship, monasteries, schools, hospitals, monuments, relics, holy
sites, and other religious properties, including movable properties,
such as artwork, manuscripts, vestments, vessels, and other artifacts;
and allow the rightful Christian church and lay owners of Christian
church properties, without hindrance or restriction, to preserve,
reconstruct, and repair, as they see fit, all Christian churches and
other places of worship, monasteries, schools, hospitals, monuments,
relics, holy sites, and other religious properties within Turkey."
From: Baghdasarian