Support Grows for Congressional Letter Urging “Administration to separate issues of normalization and genocide recognition”

WASHINGTON, DC – House Members concerned about Turkey’s backtracking on a so-called “roadmap” to advance Armenia-Turkey dialogue are set to urge President Obama to separate Armenian Genocide recognition from normalization of ties between the two countries, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA.)

In a letter to President Obama, initiated by Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Mark Kirk (R-IL) as well as Armenian Genocide resolution lead sponsors Adam Schiff (D-CA) and George Radanovich (R-CA), Members of Congress question Turkey’s commitment to talks normalizing relations with Armenia, as stated in a “roadmap” agreement signed just two days prior to April 24th, the international day of commemoration of the Armenian Genocide. Turkey has since added preconditions to continued discussions, which have led most observers of the process to conclude the effort to be stalled indefinitely.

“It would appear that Turkey, in an effort to block U.S. recognition of the Armenian Genocide, agreed to a roadmap it did not intend to uphold,” notes the letter to the President. “Therefore, we urge your Administration to separate the issues of normalization and genocide recognition.  We hope that renewed efforts and focused resources from the Administration can be utilized to nurture the Armenia-Turkey normalization process without preconditions and within a reasonable timeframe, and continue to remain strongly supportive of your stated campaign policy to officially recognize the Armenian Genocide.”

Armenian Americans have been contacting their legislators to cosign the Congressional letter, set to be sent to the President on July 24th.