US CONGRESSIONAL LEADERS AND SENATORS CALL ON TURKEY LIFT BLOCKADE OF ARMENIA
Support A1+!A congressional letter asking President Bush to call on Turkey to immediately end its illegal blockade of Armenia has the backing of more than 50 Members of the U.S. House of Representatives. The letter was issued by Congressional Caucus on Armenian Issues Co-Chairs Joe Knollenberg (R-MI) and Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ) in advance of Bush's meeting tomorrow with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
The letter addressed to Bush says in part: "Turkey's blockade of Armenia includes preventing U.S. and international humanitarian assistance from crossing its borders, a violation of U.S. law, international human rights and humanitarian standards, and Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) commitments to which Turkey is a signatory. Organizations such as the European Union (EU) have repeatedly called on Turkey to open the last closed border of Europe."
Another letter with similar content was also issued to President Bush by Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) along with members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
It says in part: "We are writing to urge you to again call upon Turkey to comply with your Administration's long-standing position that in order to restore economic, political and cultural links with Armenia, Turkey should immediately lift its ongoing blockade of Armenia."
