WASHINGTON–The newly appointed Turkish Ambassador to the U.S., Namik Tan, called the pending Armenian Genocide Resolution in Congress “baseless” and expressed confidence during a speech on Feb. 2 that his country did not expect any adverse steps from “our ally, the U.S.”
Tan, who was speaking on U.S.-Turkey relations at a conference organized by the Turkish Democracy Foundation in Ankara, warned that the discussion and passage of a genocide resolution by Congress would lead to what he described as unwanted strains in U.S.-Turkey relations.
“Turkey took a historic step and signed the protocols with Armenia,” said Tan, stressing that Turkey did not set any preconditions for the signing protocols.
“We do not anticipate any adverse steps from our ally, the U.S., this year or anytime in the future,” said Tan. “Taking such a step, especially when cooperation between the two countries is very comprehensive, would deal a serious blow to the process and efforts toward establishing peace in the Caucasus.
Commenting on Tan’s statement, Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA) executive director Aram Hamparian said: “It’s truly telling that Ambassador Tan’s first public comments came in the form of an angry admission of frustration that his government’s protocol project has failed to achieve Ankara’s central aim of derailing the growing momentum, in America and internationally, toward universal condemnation and commemoration of the Armenian Genocide.”
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