Obama agrees with House not to table ‘genocide’ bill - congressman
US President Barack Obama’s administration has managed to agree
with the House of Representatives, the US legislature’s lower
chamber, not to table the bill on the alleged Ottoman-era genocide
of Armenians in Congress, Republican Congressman George Radanovich
told the Voice of America Russian team.
He claimed, however, that the US Armenian community should keep up the pressure over the passage of the "genocide" resolution. "Sooner or later, this bill will be discussed in Congress."
The House Foreign Affairs Committee endorsed the "genocide" resolution with a 23-22 vote, even though the Obama administration had urged Congress not to offend Turkey by approving it. The bill is now expected to go to the 435-member House of Representatives. Turkey warned that the resolution could jeopardize U.S-Turkish cooperation and set back negotiations aimed at opening the border between Turkey and Armenia, which remains sealed due to long-standing enmity. Azerbaijan, Turkey’s ally, strongly condemned the US congressional panel’s decision, calling it a distortion of history.
Speaking about the impact of a potential Congressional passage of the draft law on US-Turkish relations, Radanovich opined that this will initially cause certain tension in bilateral ties but it will subside over time.
"The Turks will be offended and will remain offended for a couple of months, but everything will fall back into place as time goes by, because both countries are in need of each other. This is not an issue that you can spoil relations with," the Congressman charged.*
He claimed, however, that the US Armenian community should keep up the pressure over the passage of the "genocide" resolution. "Sooner or later, this bill will be discussed in Congress."
The House Foreign Affairs Committee endorsed the "genocide" resolution with a 23-22 vote, even though the Obama administration had urged Congress not to offend Turkey by approving it. The bill is now expected to go to the 435-member House of Representatives. Turkey warned that the resolution could jeopardize U.S-Turkish cooperation and set back negotiations aimed at opening the border between Turkey and Armenia, which remains sealed due to long-standing enmity. Azerbaijan, Turkey’s ally, strongly condemned the US congressional panel’s decision, calling it a distortion of history.
Speaking about the impact of a potential Congressional passage of the draft law on US-Turkish relations, Radanovich opined that this will initially cause certain tension in bilateral ties but it will subside over time.
"The Turks will be offended and will remain offended for a couple of months, but everything will fall back into place as time goes by, because both countries are in need of each other. This is not an issue that you can spoil relations with," the Congressman charged.*
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