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Clinton in the Caucasus: ANCA Offers Ten-Point Checklist for Successful Visit

WASHINGTON–The Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) has suggested the following ten steps that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton should undertake during her upcoming visit to the Caucasus region to advance U.S. interests, promote American values, and strengthen the Obama Administration’s diplomatic standing in a pivotal region of strategic importance.

Clinton during the NATO summit in May.
Secretary Clinton is set to travel to the Caucasus from June 4th to 7th to discuss issues of regional security, democracy, economic development and counter-terrorism.  She will visit Armenia on June 4th, Georgia on June 5th, and Azerbaijan on June 6th, prior to traveling to Turkey for meetings on June 7th.  For more details about Secretary Clinton’s travel schedule in the Caucasus, visit:
http://www.state.gov/secretary/trvl/2012/191056.htm
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10 Steps Toward a Successful Visit by Secretary Clinton to the Caucasus:
1) A public announcement by Secretary Clinton that President Obama, after more than three years in office, will finally honor his promises to recognize the Armenian Genocide and to support the proper recognition of this crime by the U.S. Congress.
2) An official visit to the Armenian Genocide memorial, during which she honors her own pledges to recognize the Armenian Genocide, renounces her assertion that the Armenian Genocide is a matter for “historical debate,” and asserts that the Administration will no longer use the failed Turkey-Armenia Protocols as an excuse for complicity in Ankara’s genocide denial.
3) A clear statement distancing the U.S. from a recent NATO declaration prioritizing the principle of territorial integrity over self-determination in settling the status of Nagorno Karabakh, and a commitment to strike, from a recently released State Department report, the false assertion that Nagorno Karabakh is a part of Azerbaijan, a Baku-backed claim that is directly at odds with President Obama’s pledge to work towards a durable settlement “based upon America’s founding commitment to the principles of democracy and self determination.”
4) A public retreat from the Administration’s proposed 19% cut in economic and democracy-building aid to Armenia, and a pledge to both work with Congressional appropriators to honor the President’s promise to “maintain” aid levels to Armenia, and also to allocate all unexpended aid that Congress has intended for Nagorno Karabakh.
5) A joint declaration with the Armenian government, in the spirit of President Obama’s promise to foster stronger U.S.-Armenia economic relations, announcing talks to implement bilateral trade and investment initiatives, including a Trade and Investment Framework Agreement, a Double Tax Treaty, and a Free Trade Agreement.
6) A strong stand, during her visit to Azerbaijan, against the Aliyev regime’s escalating pattern of threats and renewed aggression against Nagorno Karabakh, and a public announcement that the White House will not waive Section 907 of the FREEDOM Support Act as long as Baku fails to commit to a peaceful resolution of its conflict with Nagorno Karabakh.
7) A withdrawal of the Administration’s support, in light of Baku’s ongoing threats and acts of aggression, for the sale or transfer of any and all arms or dual-use items to Azerbaijan, including the controversial pending sale of advanced helicopter-based sensing equipment.
8) A visit to investigate the medieval Armenian cemetery in Djulfa, Nakhichevan, the site of thousands of intricate Armenian stone crosses (khatchkars) systematically destroyed by the Azerbaijani military in December of 2005, as documented on video-tape.
9) A public expression of U.S. support, during her trip to Georgia, for targeted U.S. economic, development, and infrastructure assistance programs and public-private partnerships for the Armenian-populated Javakhk region of Georgia.
10) A trip to Stepanakert to demonstrate support for the OSCE Minsk Group peace process, to press for the reinstatement of the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh as a full participant in all negotiations, and to underscore America’s longstanding and proud tradition of supporting the right of all peoples to democratic self-determination.
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3 Comments To "Clinton in the Caucasus: ANCA Offers Ten-Point Checklist for Successful Visit"

#1 Comment By vart adjemian On June 4, 2012 @ 4:04 pm

From the Armenian perspective, these are all valid points and steps in the right direction. Sadly, we have to be prepared to be deeply disappointed, as Clinton or the US Administration will only pay lip service to these points. Clinton’s visit is nothing but a show.
1- The NATO summit in Chicago was a farce. Nothing happens in NATO without the tacit approval and consent of the US.
2- The boycott of the Summit by Armenia was a political gesture, morally correct, but had no effect,as Armenia is not a member of NATO, and geopolitically is not high on NATO’s agenda or interests.
3- Turkey, unfortunately, continues to have a larger involvement in the NATO alliance’s forces. Immediately after the summit, NATO announced that Turkey will have 10 major-generals and 5 lieutenant-generals in the NATO Military Command.
This, in addtition to the 24 NATO bases in Turkey, gives the Turkish government
a lot of leverage in NATO.
This certainly is not a pretty picture. I have no idea what it takes to tip the balance in our favor.
Vart Adjemian

#2 Comment By john On June 4, 2012 @ 9:37 pm

Good Luck..

1.Turkey is a member of NATO..It has 40 nuclear war heads on its soil..And we know who the true rulers of Turkey are. Both Banking and its Military don’t we?
2.There’s LOTS OF OIL that both the British and the Israeli’s invested in Azerbaijan..
3.Georgia is pro US and anti Russian.
4..And unfortunately the Obama administration has proven to be horrible for Armenia’s interest. I wouldn’t hold my breath to Clinton doing any of those things.However a Republican Neo-con will be ten times worse.

Politics is about opportunity. It is never about morality

The only real option for Armenia is to strengthen itself militarily to deter a war or to defend itself in case of war, and quite relying upon political hand outs from both the US and Russia…

#3 Comment By Ahmet On June 5, 2012 @ 1:08 am

Vart,

Let me tell you what it takes to tip the balance in your favor. Armenia must soften its uncompromising attitude in the Caucasus.

This is hurting Armenia a lot. The only lifeline Iran is crippled by the sanctions. The other day I read that Iran has halted the construction of the railroad to Armenia due to lack of funding.

A landlocked country of no natural resources with a dwindling population, corrupt system. What else could be worse than this?