Recognizing Opportunity: Obama visit to Turkey casts doubt on recognition commitment
The announcement last weekend that US President Barack Obama would be visiting Turkey soon was a de facto signal to many here and in Diaspora that recognition of the Armenian Genocide will not be a priority of the new Washington administration.
Previously, hopes ran high that Obama would acknowledge the Genocide during remarks on April 24 – the day Armenians around the world commemorate their loss of family and nation.
The new US president has been an advocate of recognition since early in his career in D.C. as a senator from Illinois.The announcement last weekend that US President Barack Obama would be visiting Turkey soon was a de facto signal to many here and in Diaspora that recognition of the Armenian Genocide will not be a priority of the new Washington administration.
Previously, hopes ran high that Obama would acknowledge the Genocide during remarks on April 24 – the day Armenians around the world commemorate their loss of family and nation.
The new US president has been an advocate of recognition since early in his career in D.C. as a senator from Illinois.
Likewise, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who announced the president’s visit while herself in Turkey, has spoken in favor of recognition since 2005 while a senator from New York. Former president Bill Clinton, however, was among several US presidents who – prior to election – appeared ready to make recognition part of their policy, only to renege on their promises once in office.
While in Turkey last weekend, Secretary Clinton announced that Obama would be visiting Ankara “in the next month or so”. The trip could coincide with his attending the G20 summit in London on April 2.
It is believed that the US may be trying to strengthen its ties with Turkey for two strategic purposes. First, to use Turkey as a transport base for Obama’s announced withdrawal of troops from Irag. And, secondly, the US wants to see Turkey resume its role as third-party negotiator in disputes between Syria and Israel.
More generally, one mandate of the Obama White House is to restore America’s reputation with Muslim nations, following eight years of decline in which Islamic republics (of which Turkey is one) were routinely lumped into former president George W. Bush’s “axis of evil”. By visiting Ankara, Obama would be making significant outreach to the vast Muslim community.
From its side, Turkey may parlay the Obama visit into bolstering its image for membership in the European Union – a task that has been hampered by criticism of Turkey’s human rights’ record. In that regard, Turkey gaining assurance from Obama that he would not use the term “genocide” in April 24 remarks could carry considerable currency.
Led by the Armenian Assembly of America (www.aaainc.org ), lobbyists in D.C. were quick to react to news of Obama’s travel plans.
On March 10, Congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA), joined by Representative George Radanovich (R-CA) and the Co-Chairs of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues, Representatives Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Mark Kirk (R-IL), sent a letter to the president, encouraging him to remain steadfast in his support of recognition.
"During your upcoming trip to Turkey," the letter reads, "and in discussions with your advisors over how to commemorate the events of 1915-1923, you will doubtless be counseled by some to continue the practice of avoiding the truth in favor of short-term political expediency. We do not minimize Ankara's threats of adverse action when you recognize the genocide, or when Congress takes action to formally recognize the genocide, but we believe that our alliance is strong enough to withstand the truth."
The letter also recalls President Obama's record on the issue and how he has "demonstrated time and again [his] understanding of the importance to Armenian-Americans of formal American recognition of the crime that was committed against their parents, grandparents and great-grandparents." Adding that "their pain is not unlike that of American Jews, who live each day with the memory of the Holocaust... Whether it is today's Sudanese government or yesterday's Ottoman Empire, the perpetrators of genocide, as well as the victims, must know that the United States will not shrink from confronting the truth."
The support of the congressmen – all representing districts highly populated by Armenian-Americans – earned praise from Assembly Executive Director Bryan Ardouny.
"President Obama's upcoming trip to Turkey presents a unique opportunity to address the consequences of genocide and its denial,” Ardouny said in a written statement. “ We, therefore, applaud the initiative of Representatives Schiff, Radanovich, Pallone and Kirk."
Previously, hopes ran high that Obama would acknowledge the Genocide during remarks on April 24 – the day Armenians around the world commemorate their loss of family and nation.
The new US president has been an advocate of recognition since early in his career in D.C. as a senator from Illinois.The announcement last weekend that US President Barack Obama would be visiting Turkey soon was a de facto signal to many here and in Diaspora that recognition of the Armenian Genocide will not be a priority of the new Washington administration.
Previously, hopes ran high that Obama would acknowledge the Genocide during remarks on April 24 – the day Armenians around the world commemorate their loss of family and nation.
The new US president has been an advocate of recognition since early in his career in D.C. as a senator from Illinois.
Likewise, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who announced the president’s visit while herself in Turkey, has spoken in favor of recognition since 2005 while a senator from New York. Former president Bill Clinton, however, was among several US presidents who – prior to election – appeared ready to make recognition part of their policy, only to renege on their promises once in office.
While in Turkey last weekend, Secretary Clinton announced that Obama would be visiting Ankara “in the next month or so”. The trip could coincide with his attending the G20 summit in London on April 2.
It is believed that the US may be trying to strengthen its ties with Turkey for two strategic purposes. First, to use Turkey as a transport base for Obama’s announced withdrawal of troops from Irag. And, secondly, the US wants to see Turkey resume its role as third-party negotiator in disputes between Syria and Israel.
More generally, one mandate of the Obama White House is to restore America’s reputation with Muslim nations, following eight years of decline in which Islamic republics (of which Turkey is one) were routinely lumped into former president George W. Bush’s “axis of evil”. By visiting Ankara, Obama would be making significant outreach to the vast Muslim community.
From its side, Turkey may parlay the Obama visit into bolstering its image for membership in the European Union – a task that has been hampered by criticism of Turkey’s human rights’ record. In that regard, Turkey gaining assurance from Obama that he would not use the term “genocide” in April 24 remarks could carry considerable currency.
Led by the Armenian Assembly of America (www.aaainc.org ), lobbyists in D.C. were quick to react to news of Obama’s travel plans.
On March 10, Congressman Adam Schiff (D-CA), joined by Representative George Radanovich (R-CA) and the Co-Chairs of the Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues, Representatives Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) and Mark Kirk (R-IL), sent a letter to the president, encouraging him to remain steadfast in his support of recognition.
"During your upcoming trip to Turkey," the letter reads, "and in discussions with your advisors over how to commemorate the events of 1915-1923, you will doubtless be counseled by some to continue the practice of avoiding the truth in favor of short-term political expediency. We do not minimize Ankara's threats of adverse action when you recognize the genocide, or when Congress takes action to formally recognize the genocide, but we believe that our alliance is strong enough to withstand the truth."
The letter also recalls President Obama's record on the issue and how he has "demonstrated time and again [his] understanding of the importance to Armenian-Americans of formal American recognition of the crime that was committed against their parents, grandparents and great-grandparents." Adding that "their pain is not unlike that of American Jews, who live each day with the memory of the Holocaust... Whether it is today's Sudanese government or yesterday's Ottoman Empire, the perpetrators of genocide, as well as the victims, must know that the United States will not shrink from confronting the truth."
The support of the congressmen – all representing districts highly populated by Armenian-Americans – earned praise from Assembly Executive Director Bryan Ardouny.
"President Obama's upcoming trip to Turkey presents a unique opportunity to address the consequences of genocide and its denial,” Ardouny said in a written statement. “ We, therefore, applaud the initiative of Representatives Schiff, Radanovich, Pallone and Kirk."