Experts: U.S. not to allow recognition of "Armenian genocide", as this will cause damage to its relations with Turkey

The process of recognition of the so-called "Armenian genocide"  will not go on in the U.S. Congress after its recognition by the Foreign Affairs Committee, as in this case, the United States and Turkey would suffer irreparable damage, experts say.

"If this resolution will be recognized in the U.S. Senate that would have an extremely negative effect on the U.S-Turkish relations, which in turn could destabilize the important region in such a potentially promising moment," European expert on the Caucasus Ziba Norman told Trend News. "The adoption of such resolution is not of U.S. interests."

U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs on Thursday adopted 23 votes to 22 a resolution recognizing the so-called "Armenian genocide".

Armenia claims that the Ottoman Empire committed genocide against Armenians living in Anatolia in 1915.  Making greater efforts to promote the issue internationally, Armenians have achieved its recognition by parliaments of some countries.

The Turkish government has expressed dissatisfaction with the decision of the U.S. Congress committee and said that it was a blow to Turkish-American relations.

The intervention of a third party, in this case the U.S., in relations between Armenia and Turkey, complicates the process of reconciliation between the countries, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said.

The minister considers erroneous view that the adoption of the resolution could put pressure on Ankara to ratify the Armenian-Turkish protocols.

According to experts, adoption of a resolution recognizing the so-called "Armenian genocide" will not go on further the Foreign Affairs Committee.

The House of Representatives and U.S. Senate are not likely to support the resolution on the so-called "Armenian genocid" recognized by the International Relations Committee, U.S. expert on South Caucasus and Turkey Mark N. Katz believes.

"But will the resolution then be passed by the House of Representatives as a whole? But will the Senate also pass the resolution?  In my view, this is highly unlikely--if only because it is very difficult for the Senate to pass anything that is controversial," Politics Professor at the Public and International Affairs Department at George Mason University Mark Katz wrote Trend News in an e-mail.

Prior to discussions, the U.S. President Barack Obama advised Congress not to adopt resolution on genocide, CNN Turk reported.

The observers believe even the fact of adoption of the resolution in the U.S Congress Committee have a negative impact on the U.S-Turkey relations.

In case of adoption of resolution on the so-called "Armenian genocide" by the U.S. Congress, Ankara should develop a strategy for further action, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's Adviser on Eurasia Geybulla Ramazanoglu believes.

"Turkey will use all its capabilities to prevent adoption of a resolution on the so-called "Armenian genocide" by the U.S. Congress. Even if the U.S Congress will make a decision on the recognition of the genocide, this will not affect Turkey so mush, but Ankara must now develop a strategy for further action" he told Trend News over the telephone from Ankara.

How this affects US-Turkish relations depends on how Turkey reacts, Katz said. "If both the House and the Senate pass the resolution, US-Turkish relations are highly likely to be negatively affected.  But this, I believe, is highly unlikely," he added.

However, Turkey may react negatively to approval of the resolution by just the House Foreign Affairs Committee, he said. "I would hope not, but if it does, this will actually increase the chances that the full House and perhaps even the Senate will also approve the measure," Katz added.

The Azerbaijani Presidential Administration categorically condemned the adoption of the resolution recognizing the so-called "Armenian genocide" by the U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee.

Such step by the U.S congressmen is mistaken and unfair, Azerbaijani Presidential Administration Socio-Political Department Head Ali Hasanov said in his interview with the media outlets.

"We believe this decision also does not correlate strongly with the interests of the United States and the American people, and seriously damages the international image of this country," he said.

Hasanov also expressed confidence that receiving the required assessment from the U.S Congress House of Representatives, the Foreign Affairs Committee's decision will be withdrawn, and the U.S. government will be released from this unfair responsibility.

According to observers, events taking place in the U.S. Congress could also nullify the efforts of the United States to normalize the Armenian-Turkish relations.

The U.S-Turkish relations have reached a higher level, and the U.S. should not risk the progress made in resolving the Armenian-Turkish relations, considering the matter, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said March 4.

"The work done thus far towards normalization of relations with Armenia would be undone. Of course, this will mostly affect the Armenian people," Director of the British Transatlantic Institute Norman added.

According to Norman, Turkey's role is changing and it sees itself as shaper of the region.

"The Armenian lobby, who have a one dimensional approach, largely ignoring the realities of the geopolitical situation, and the hard facts of life in Armenia, have been given some space to manoeuvre as the protocols to normalization relations have not been ratified as yet, by either Turkey or Armenia. The whole affair shows just how tricky Davutoglu's laudable policies will be to implement," the expert said.


/Trend News/