Secretary Clinton's Chance to Reset Failing U.S. Policy on Armenia

WASHINGTON, July 2 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Secretary of State Clinton's July 4th visit to the South Caucasus represents the Administration's opportunity to reset America's failing policies in the region, by backing a real Turkey-Armenia dialogue based on truth and justice, a Nagorno Karabakh settlement based on democracy and self-determination, and expanded U.S.-Armenia relations based on trade and investment.  

Armenian National Committee of America Chairman Ken Hachikian offered these thoughts about the Armenian American community's expectations.

Turkey-Armenia Relations:

"Ankara doomed the U.S.-backed Turkey-Armenia Protocols from the start by manipulating these accords, first, to continue U.S. complicity in its Armenian Genocide denials, and, then, to impose new third-party preconditions to satisfy Azerbaijan's demands."

"While in Armenia, Secretary Clinton can jump-start prospects for true Armenia-Turkey progress by honoring her own promise - and the pledge made by President Obama - to recognize the Armenian Genocide. There would be no better place for the Secretary to condemn this crime than at the Armenian Genocide Memorial in Yerevan.  Should the Secretary, due to concerns about Ankara's response, choose to avoid the Memorial, she will, sadly, have dug the Obama Administration into an even deeper hole on this human rights issue."

Nagorno-Karabakh:

"A year and a half into this Administration, we remain troubled, that, despite the President's campaign assurances, he and his aides continue arm-twisting the Armenian side to accept an unfair and undemocratic settlement based on principles that, if they were in force in 1776, would have kept the American colonies a part of the British Empire."

"The Secretary's visit provides an chance to get things right by openly voicing a strong U.S. stand for a Karabakh settlement based on the American principles of democracy and self-governance."

U.S.-Armenia Relations:

"Despite unprecedented flexibility by the Armenian Government - on issues from the Protocols to Armenian military deployments in support of U.S. operations - we have seen no movement by President Obama to honor his pledge to maintain aid and expand trade with Armenia."

"The Secretary's visit represents an opportunity to announce that she is personally initiating talks to put in place a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement and is committed to negotiating a future U.S.-Armenia Free Trade Agreement."

For additional information on the Obama Administration's record: http://www.anca.org .

For more information, or to schedule an interview with ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian, contact Elizabeth Chouldjian at (703) 585-8254 or [email protected].

SOURCE Armenian National Committee of America