Jason Katz

How would you comment on the US House committee resolution on the 'Armenian genocide'?

What can I say? I am disappointed and, frankly, dismayed by the decision to bring – and pass – an 'Armenian genocide' resolution before the United States House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs. The fact that Congressman Howard Berman was the member who brought the resolution before the committee just compounds the negative impact of the issue to the United States and her allies.

I have always had quite a lot of respect for Congressman Berman. I have had the opportunity to work with him on several occasions when I served as the head of public affairs for the American Jewish Committee and as the director of governmental relations for the Jewish Federation of Greater Los Angeles. I have sought his counsel and advice on matters stretching from immigration reform in the US to Israel, and I have always found him to be a brilliant and thoughtful leader and legislator. 

However, while it deeply troubles me to say it, his recent decisions and actions vis-a-vis the Armenian diaspora are simply over the top and more ill advised than I can express adequately in words.

To throw an incredibly important ally of the US under the bus is shocking and unconscionable. The fact Turkey is also a NATO ally and one of the US’s few reliable Muslim-majority allies just exacerbates the situation. Additionally, and making this more incomprehensible, is that Congressman Berman and a few others in Congress who have pledged their backing to this resolution are staunch and reliable allies and supporters of the State of Israel. Regardless of recent tensions between Israel and Turkey, the passage of this resolution throws one of Israel’s most important political, economic and diplomatic allies to the wolves. These actions can do nothing but undermine the United States and Israel.

Congressman Berman’s move to spearhead this resolution is a huge US foreign policy blunder and opposed by none other than the White House and the Department of State and others. Further, it is a move that caters to one constituency of Americans and does not look at the bigger picture and what is in the best interests of the United States of America.

The reality is that whatever happened in World War I happened, and the Ottoman Empire no longer exists. Turkey may be the modern day successor to the Ottomans, but do we Americans hold ourselves responsible for whatever England has done in the past? I really think not. The United States of America is responsible for its own actions, as modern day Turkey is responsible for its actions. We do not hold ourselves responsible for our predecessor nations. Furthermore, the United States has yet to address black marks on its own history, most notably our treatment of Native Americans and African Americans.  And if the United States wants to stand in judgment of other countries’ wrongs, perhaps it should take a stand on modern day injustices such as what is occurring in the Nagorno-Karabakh region.
 
Will this decision harm US-Turkish relations?

I believe this move by the House Committee on Foreign Affairs will have a lasting negative impact on US-Turkey relations. Turkey will not soon forget this and will not soon leave this act out of mind while negotiating and dealing with the US.

Turkey has increasingly become an important player in Eurasia and the Middle East. Turkey is and, I hope, will continue to be a conduit to nations with which the US will not and cannot formally have a discourse. Again, Turkey is much too important a nation for the US to marginalize and double cross in this manner.  
 
May Turkey withdraw permission for the NATO air base at Incirlik?

I think that Turkey refusing access to Incirlik is unlikely. Incirlik is a NATO operational base; thus, Turkey has a larger role and responsibility.

I do think that Turkey will think twice before working with the US on its campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq or on any other military action moving forward. This is a sad turn of events, as Turkey has been a reliable ally and partner.
 
May this influence the Armenian-Turkish protocols on the normalization of bilateral relations?

It is hard to say whether the US Congress’s recent moves will affect Turkish-Armenian rapprochement.

The reality is that the Republic of Armenia and the Armenian diaspora have very different agendas. Armenia as a nation remains isolated and poor in a neighbourhood that is increasingly prosperous, well educated and progressive. The Armenian diaspora, unfortunately, looks to two issues only: US recognition of the 'Armenian genocide' and recognition of Nagorno-Karabakh.

It is unlikely, in the near term, that the US will recognize the former. There are still too many cool heads in Congress who will prevail and who will refuse to hear only a single constituency. As for the latter, I don’t believe this will ever happen.

The only chance for contemporary Armenia to develop out of its Third World existence and to join the prosperous region in which it resides is to concede the issue of Nagorno-Karabakh. Giving back that land, rightfully part of Azerbaijan by anyone’s estimation, is the only move that will ensure a prosperous Armenian Republic. I hearken back to the Davos conference a year ago when the well-regarded President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan rightfully and understandably chuckled when the Armenian foreign minister expressed and insisted that Armenia be part of the oil and natural gas projects of the region. It is incomprehensible that Armenia will ever be a party to any of the lucrative energy projects in the region until this frozen conflict is resolved. It begs the question, what does Armenia have to gain from occupying Nagorno-Karabakh, aside from poverty and isolation? It is deeply disturbing and unfortunate that the Armenian diaspora ignores these realities and dupes US elected officials in this regard.
 
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