Azerbaijani MP: U.S. acts in its own detriment

"The fact that the U.S. Congress discussed the “Armenian genocide” is a blow to U.S.-Turkish relations. In fact, the U.S. casts doubt on its relationship with its most loyal ally in the Middle East. Without Turkey’s involvement, none of the many U.S. plans on Iran, Iraq and Afghanistan will be fulfilled. So, I wonder that the U.S. risks upsetting its relationship with one of the most important players in the Middle East because of the Armenian lobby influence. In fact, Washington acts to its own detriment,” the Azerbaijani MP said.  

“After the U.S. House Committee on Foreign Relations adopted the “Armenian genocide” resolution, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said that the Congress will not pass the bill. Nevertheless, discussions over this issue may not be positives for the US-Turkish relations. According to American logic, it turns out that the Turks committed genocide against Armenians, but Washington indulgently forgives them that. This approach deals a serious blow to relations with Turkey,” the MP noted.

“Of course, no parliament has a right to give a legal assessment of events that occurred nearly a century ago. They have no competence to do this, because such events should be studied by historians and experts," the MP explained.

"Raising the "Armenian genocide", the U.S. seeks ratification of the Armenian-Turkish protocols by Turkey, as well as Azerbaijan’s concessions on the Karabakh issue. I think Turkey should not have signed the accords with Armenia. It could also put withdrawal from Azerbaijan’s occupied lands as a condition for signing the protocols with Yerevan from the very beginning. But Ankara put this condition only after the accords were signed.”

“Turkey should unequivocally renounce the Zurich protocols to reduce possibility of recognition of "Armenian genocide". Jewish diaspora, which is the strongest in the U.S., has a great influence on such bills. Ankara’s relations with the Jews community in the U.S. deteriorated after the well-known incident between Turkish Prime Minister and the Israeli President in Davos. This fact could also impact the outcome of a vote in the U.S. Congress,” the MP added.


Z. Ahmadov