US EMBASSY: WE WOULD NOT WANT DISCUSSIONS IN CONGRESS TO IMPACT US RELATIONS WITH AZERBAIJAN

In response to questions of Turan about the U.S. position on the House Foreign Affairs Committee vote, U.S. Embassy spokesman Terry Davidson said:”We certainly would not want this discussion within the U.S. Congress to impact our relations with Azerbaijan. We are strategic partners, and there is much we are doing together that benefits both nations.”We are aware of Azerbaijan’s concern about the debate over this resolution in the U.S. Congress, and both President Obama and Secretary Clinton have made clear their desire that the U.S. Congress not be forum for debates about what happened in 1915. As they have stated, we believe the people of Turkey and Armenia – their societies, their historians – are the ones who should review this history and put it into perspective. “To that end, the United States has supported efforts to bring about rapprochement between Turkey and Armenia, an opening that would include the creation of an ongoing dialogue about the tragic events of 1915. Secretary Clinton said last week that she hopes the full Congress will not take further action on this resolution, as we believe it to be unhelpful in the normalization of relations between Turkey and Armenia. That normalization would help bring long-term stability, peace and progress to the region.” -0-

Turan Information Agency