US recognizes Armenian genocide in the Ottoman Empire: why it matters - ForumDaily
The article has been automatically translated into English by Google Translate from Russian and has not been edited.
Переклад цього матеріалу українською мовою з російської було автоматично здійснено сервісом Google Translate, без подальшого редагування тексту.
Bu məqalə Google Translate servisi vasitəsi ilə avtomatik olaraq rus dilindən azərbaycan dilinə tərcümə olunmuşdur. Bundan sonra mətn redaktə edilməmişdir.

US recognizes Armenian Genocide in Ottoman Empire: why is it important

The US House of Representatives on Tuesday, October 29, adopted a resolution recognizing the Armenian Genocide. Despite the fact that the resolution is advisory in nature, this step of the congressmen can seriously complicate relations between the US and Turkey. Writes about this with the BBC.

Фото: Depositphotos

405 members voted for the resolution, 11 opposed. Congressmen acknowledge that the accelerated consideration of the resolution was caused by a crisis in relations with Ankara due to the Turkish operation in northern Syria.

The head of the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, called the decision of the American congressmen an attempt to “use history to achieve political goals.”

Ankara is expected to respond to recognition of the genocide by recalling its ambassador from Washington, who previously called the text of the document full of baseless accusations.

Mass deportations and killings of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire in the 1915 year were recognized as genocide in Russia, Germany, France, Canada and several other countries of the world. However, Turkey invariably protests against this interpretation, and after it the US government previously avoided calling these events genocide.

Similar resolutions have been considered in Congress for a long time, but have never before been voted on by the House of Representatives.

On the subject: “Do not think that everything is so rosy here”: Armenians about life in America

US President Donald Trump, like his predecessor Barack Obama, avoids using the word “genocide” in relation to the events of 1915 in official speeches.

The adoption of the resolution was faster than most observers expected. On Monday, October 28, she passed through the committee on the rules of procedure, which put it to the vote of the entire House of Representatives - without amending it, as the Armenian lobbyists sought.

The bill's passage was lobbied by the two largest groups representing Armenian Americans, the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) and the Armenian Assembly of America.

They were supported by two influential Jewish organizations - the American Jewish Committee and the Anti-Defamation League.

Not only members of the Democratic Party, which has a majority in the lower house of Congress, but also a number of influential Republicans spoke about plans to support the resolution before the vote.

Sworn enemies unanimous

The document was submitted to Congress in January, immediately after the opening of meetings of the House of Representatives of the new convocation, in which the Democratic Party received the majority.

Democrats represent many constituencies in which a significant number of Americans of Armenian descent and other Christian minorities in the Middle East live.

The resolution was supported by Democratic Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Eliot Engel and Republican Minority Leader Michael McCall, as well as two congressmen from various California counties, Devin Nunes and Adam Schiff, who are irreconcilable opponents on many other issues.

Democrat Schiff leads the intelligence committee and actually leads the investigation into the impeachment of Trump. Republican Nunes, who chaired the committee before Schiff, on the contrary, is known for his loyalty to the president.

On the subject: Armenian diaspora in Glendale has renamed the street in honor of Nagorno-Karabakh

The “Armenian Assembly” and the Armenian National Committee participated in the preparation of the text of the resolution.

“October 29 could be one of the most important days for Armenian Americans,” Mihran Tumajian, western region director for the Armenian Assembly of America, said Monday. “Our warning to members of Congress: if anyone dares to repeat Ankara’s erroneous position that there was no genocide, we will not forget it.”

“We are literally going to every office on Capitol Hill,” explained Armen Sahakyan, ANCA’s executive director for the western region.

What happened in 1915 year

Most historians agree that during the First World War (1914 — 1918) hundreds of thousands of Armenians died during the mass deportation from Anatolia.

According to the International Association of Genocide Researchers (IAGS), more than a million people died. Many historians call the figure 1,5 million victims.

Turkish historian Taner Akçam, a professor at Clark University in the United States, has published documents that prove that the massacres of Armenians were carried out by order of the authorities of the Ottoman Empire.

Russia, Germany, France, Belgium, Italy, Brazil and other countries officially recognize these events as genocide, as well as the European Parliament.

Pope Francis called the massacre of Armenians the first genocide of the twentieth century.

Turkish authorities insist that the total number of dead Armenians does not exceed 300 thousand. They do not recognize that the targeted killing of Armenians was carried out by order of the Ottoman government.

On the subject: In Armenia, oncological operations were made free for citizens

"Immoral World"

Behind the accelerated consideration of the resolution is the deterioration of US relations with Turkey due to the Turkish operation against the Syrian Kurds, who were key allies of the Americans in the fight against the Islamic State group.

This geopolitical context is not hidden by supporters of the resolution. On the day of the start of the Turkish operation, Congressman Ted Lew, representing a district with a significant Armenian population, wrote on Twitter that now is the time for the US to recognize the Armenian genocide.

Earlier, Turkish Ambassador to the United States Serdar Kilic sent a letter to American parliamentarians urging to remember the importance of continuing the partnership between Turkey and the United States before voting for the resolution. He called the interpretation of the events of 1915 of the year, adopted in the resolution, groundless accusations.

“Does the US Congress want to choose sides in one of the longest historical disputes, given that one of the options is to go against the US's main NATO ally (Turkey)?” the ambassador asked.

Armenians around the world view recognition of the genocide as a moral issue, said Toumadzhyan of the Armenian Assembly.

“We live in an immoral world where everything is based on rapidly changing interests,” Toumadzhyan said. “Waiting for peace to be established in the Middle East is absurd.”

Sahakyan from the Armenian National Committee agreed with him. “Our position is that genocide should be recognized solely on the basis of human rights,” he said.

The US position on the issue of genocide has traditionally been determined by geopolitics - Washington was not ready to conflict with Turkey, a key partner in NATO.

American presidents, including Donald Trump, have so far called the events of 1915 in the Ottoman Empire a great atrocity, but have avoided using the word “genocide.” Turkish authorities deny that the massacres of Christian minorities between 1915 and 1919 were a deliberate government policy.

Last year, the Obama administration apologized for not recognizing genocide, as promised during the campaign. They called it a mistake.

“The Armenian genocide must be recognized by everyone, but first of all by Turkey,” said former US Ambassador to Armenia John Evans, who lost his position for calling the events of 1915 genocide, ahead of the vote. “Unfortunately, Turkey is unlikely to be ready to recognize the 1915 genocide without external pressure. "Perhaps the time has come for additional pressure to come from the United States Congress."

On the subject: In Armenia, Russian is recognized as a foreign language.

Evans added that one can expect a recall from the Turkish ambassador from Washington, words of condemnation from Ankara, as well as calls not to buy American goods.

“The timing of this vote and the fact that its supporters associate it with a specific problem in relations between the United States and Turkey actually makes it a political instrument,” said American expert Joshua Kucera.

Following the adoption of the resolution, it can be expected that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will present it as part of his rhetoric about external enemies and that “the world does not like independent Turkey.”

Read also on ForumDaily:

New York City Jeweler Suspected of Fraud Proclaimed Innocent

Ukrainians recognized the most beautiful nation in the world: rating

How many immigrants from different countries earn in the USA

What is the status of the Russian language in all countries of the former USSR

Miscellanea USA resolution At home Armenian Genocide
Subscribe to ForumDaily on Google News

Do you want more important and interesting news about life in the USA and immigration to America? — support us donate! Also subscribe to our page Facebook. Select the “Priority in display” option and read us first. Also, don't forget to subscribe to our РєР ° РЅР ° Р »РІ Telegram  and Instagram- there is a lot of interesting things there. And join thousands of readers ForumDaily New York — there you will find a lot of interesting and positive information about life in the metropolis. 



 
1070 requests in 1,168 seconds.