US STATE DEPARTMENT REGULAR NEWS BRIEFING

SEPTEMBER 27, 2007
SPEAKER: STATE DEPARTMENT DEPUTY SPOKESMAN TOM H. CASEY
[parts omitted]

QUESTION: Fearing an imminent vote on the Armenian genocide resolution H.R. 106, Turkish multimillion dollar lobbyists here in Washington D.C., have solicited the assistance of former secretaries of state, namely James Baker, Warren Christopher, Lawrence Eagleburger, Alexander Haig, Henry Kissinger, Colin Powell and George Shultz, asking Speaker Nancy Pelosi, to "prevent the resolution from reaching the House,". Any comment? And clarify your position.

CASEY: The U.S. position on the events of the beginning of the last century is unchanged. You can look at our annual statements on that. And I would refer you to that language; it's very specifically crafted, and I don't have it in my head right now, so I wouldn't want to mislead anybody.

In terms of what former secretaries of state may or may not have done by way of action on this issue, I'd, frankly refer you to them. They are private citizens. [!!!] And I assume if they made representation to Speaker Pelosi on this, they did so because they believed it was the right thing to do.

QUESTION: And your position?

CASEY: U.S. position on this issue has not changed. Again, I'd refer you back to our previous statements on it.

OK. Thanks, guys.

TURKEY'S LOBBYISTS ENLIST FORMER US SECRETARIES OF STATE TO KILL ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RESOLUTION

ArmRadio - Public Radio, Armenia
Sept 27 2007

Fearing an imminent vote on the Armenian Genocide Resolution (H.Res.106), Turkey's multi-million dollar lobbyists have solicited the assistance of eight former US Secretaries of State in seeking to derail this human rights legislation, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA.).

"Facing a growing bipartisan Congressional majority demanding passage of the Armenian Genocide Resolution, Turkey's lobbyists - out of desperation and a never ending desire to squeeze more billing dollars out of Ankara - have turned to the very architects of our government's failed policy of appeasing Turkey," said Aram Hamparian, Executive Director of the ANCA. "Sadly, successive US administrations have found themselves lacking the moral courage to end the cycle of genocide - from Cambodia, to Rwanda and, today in Darfur - precisely because of their legacy of caving in to, rather than confronting genocidal regimes."

"We are, as Americans, especially troubled that, in warning Congress not to make a simple anti-genocide statement for fear of upsetting Turkey, these officials would outsource our nation's moral conscience>to a foreign government," added Hamparian.>>In their September 25th jointly-signed letter, former Secretaries of State Madeleine Albright, James Baker III, Warren Christopher, Laurence Eagleburger, Alexander Haig, Jr., Henry Kissinger, Colin Powell, and George Schultz, urged Speaker Pelosi to "prevent the resolution from reaching the House Floor," thereby denying House Members an opportunity to vote their conscience on the Armenian Genocide. The former State Department officials expressed concern that passage of the resolution "could endanger our national security interests in the region, including our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, and damage efforts to promote reconciliation between Armenia and Turkey.

Congressional Quarterly Sept 27 2007