Howard Berman

A fresh Armenian “genocide” resolution to be taken up by a US congressional panel early next month could once again put Turkey’s relationship with the United States into jeopardy.

Howard Berman, the powerful Democratic chairman of the House of Representatives’ Foreign Affairs Committee, said Feb. 5 that he intends to call a committee vote on the resolution March 4.

The resolution would call on President Barack Obama to ensure that US policy formally refers to the World War I-era killings of Armenians during the last days of the Ottoman Empire as “genocide” and to use that term when he delivers his annual message on the issue in April – something Obama avoided doing last year.

If the resolution is endorsed by the committee, it will next head toward a House floor vote. The same panel passed similar bills in 2000, 2005 and 2007, but the measures never came to a floor vote. In all three cases, the administrations of former presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush strongly lobbied against the resolutions.

Although such congressional bills are non-binding, Turkey has been warning that any formal US “genocide” recognition, either by Congress or the administration, would cause a major and lasting deterioration of relations with the United States. Turkish diplomats are now emphasizing that this policy remains in place.

Armenian-American groups hailed Berman’s decision to hold a vote. “We want to thank chairman Berman for his vision and strength in taking this bold step to send the clear message to Turkey that the United States Congress will not be complicit in their immoral efforts to deny truth and justice for the Armenian genocide,” said Ken Hachikian, chairman of the Armenian National Committee of America.

“On behalf of the entire Armenian-American community, we welcome chairman Berman’s announcement. We appreciate the chairman’s continued commitment to this important human-rights legislation,” said Bryan Ardouny, executive director of the Armenian Assembly of America.

The “genocide” recognition bill, H.R. 252, currently has more than 130 cosponsors in the 435-member House of Representatives. Obama views Turkey as a key ally whose help is needed to solve confrontations from Iran to Afghanistan.

Obama, who as a candidate referred to the killings as genocide, last April used the Armenian term for “atrocity” in his first presidential address on the issue, angering U.S. Armenians.

Hurriyet Daily News