Turkish Jews to appeal US Congress on resolution

19.04.2007
Today's Zaman
Ankara

"Turks want Jewish groups to advocate against the resolution, but only one group, the Jewish Institute of National Security Affairs, has done so," an online news portal called The Global News Service of the Jewish People (JTA) reported earlier this week.

"Other Jewish groups, mindful of the history of Holocaust revisionism, do not want to deny Armenians the opportunity to commemorate their own genocide, which Israeli researchers have said was a precursor to the Holocaust. So in a compromise, the American Jewish Committee, Anti-Defamation League and B'nai B'rith International will relay the Turkish Jewish letter to Congress later this week, but will not necessarily endorse it," the report said.

Several Jewish groups are relaying to Congress a letter from the Turkish Jewish community advocating against a resolution based on Armenian allegations of genocide, according to reports.

The resolution was presented to the US House of Representatives earlier this year, though the timing of the vote has yet to be decided. Turkey has warned that passage of the resolution would harm strategic relations with the US and undermine cooperation in key regions across the world, in Afghanistan, Iraq and elsewhere. "Turks want Jewish groups to advocate against the resolution, but only one group, the Jewish Institute of National Security Affairs, has done so," an online news portal called The Global News Service of the Jewish People (JTA) reported earlier this week.

"Other Jewish groups, mindful of the history of Holocaust revisionism, do not want to deny Armenians the opportunity to commemorate their own genocide, which Israeli researchers have said was a precursor to the Holocaust. So in a compromise, the American Jewish Committee, Anti-Defamation League and B'nai B'rith International will relay the Turkish Jewish letter to Congress later this week, but will not necessarily endorse it," the report said. Meanwhile in Ankara Foreign Ministry spokesman Levent Bilman dismissed certain criticism alleging that the Foreign Ministry was not sufficiently active against recognition of Armenian allegations. "Those criticisms are unfair," he said.

"Decisions made at local level, however, are achieved through policies pursued by local interest groups," Bilman said in an apparent reference to influential Armenian lobby's efforts.

Note: Above are excerpts from the article. The full article appears here. Clarifications and comments by me are contained in {}. Deletions are marked by [...]. The bold emphasis is mine.