Hachikian: “Mr. President, we need not lie for Turkey; nor are we obliged to passively accept its transparently false denials.”

WASHINGTON—The Armenian National Committee of Americajoined growing calls for U.S. leadership in challenging Turkey’s manipulation of the Syria crisis, through direct and indirect support for ISIS, as part of its century-long genocidal drive to weaken or destroy Kurds, Armenians, Arabs, Assyrians, Alawites, and other ethnic minorities within or near its borders.

In a letter sent to the White House Wednesday, ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian urged President Obama to continue fighting ISIS militants, but noted that the international community cannot stop there, saying that the U.S. must, “in equal measure, forcefully confront Turkey, a treaty ally, that is using these terrorists as surrogate soldiers in a neo-Ottoman drive to destroy minorities, grow its regional influence and expand its borders – all at the expense of U.S. interests and counter to the core values of the American people.”

Expressing regret over Vice-President Biden’s recent “forced” apology to Turkey for speaking truthfully about the Erdogan regime’s destabilization of the region, Hachikian stated, “Mr. President, we need not lie for Turkey; nor are we obliged to passively accept its transparently false denials. Rather than turning a blind eye to Ankara’s ongoing aggression – in Kobane, Der Zor, Aleppo, Kessab and across northern Syria – we should press for a halt to Turkish support for ISIS, an end to its interference in Syria, and the unconditional opening of its border.”

The ANCA has launched a nationwide action alert urging advocates to write to the White House and call for an end U.S. silence in the face of Turkey’s destructive interference in Syria. Take action NOW. http://www.anca.org/savekobane

Over the past two days, ANCA representatives have joined with Kurdish Americans at White House protests calling for U.S. leadership in ending ISIS aggression.

The text of ANCA Chairman Ken Hachikian’s letter to President Obama is available in full below.

Dear Mr. President:

In the wake of the devastating ISIS assault on Kobani, I am writing to urge you to challenge Turkey’s aggressive exploitation of the Syria crisis, through its active support of extremist fighters, in order to complete its century-long genocidal drive to weaken or destroy Kurds, Armenians, Arabs, Assyrians, Alawites, and other ethnic minorities within or near its borders.

Sadly, Ankara’s success in bullying successive U.S. Administrations into silence on the Armenian Genocide and inaction in the face of Turkish brutal repression of Kurds has spoiled Turkey’s leaders into believing, with considerable justification, that they can openly strong-arm the United States on other key regional issues. The most recent example of this troubling trend is, of course, the sad spectacle of Turkish President Erdogan forcing Vice President Biden into a public apology for telling an obvious truth about Ankara’s well-documented support for ISIS.

Mr. President, we need not lie for Turkey; nor are we obliged to passively accept its transparently false denials. Rather than turning a blind eye to Ankara’s ongoing aggression – in Kobani, Der Zor, Aleppo, Kessab and across northern Syria – we should press for a halt to Turkish support for ISIS, an end to its interference in Syria, and the unconditional opening of its border. Parallel to this, our government must issue strong warnings to ISIS to cease its attacks on civilian areas in Kobani, Aleppo and elsewhere, and to allow humanitarian corridors, including from Aleppo to Latakia.

We must roll back ISIS, an avowedly anti-American military force committing horrific atrocities, and, in equal measure, forcefully confront Turkey, a treaty ally, that is using these terrorists as surrogate soldiers in a neo-Ottoman drive to destroy minorities, grow its regional influence and expand its borders – all at the expense of U.S. interests and counter to the core values of the American people.

We thank you for your consideration of our concerns, and ask, once again, for a meeting with you to discuss the crisis in the Middle East, your unmet pledge to recognize the Armenian Genocide, the security of the Republic of Nagorno Karabakh, and our community’s other policy priorities.

Sincerely,

Kenneth V. Hachikian
Chairman
Armenian National Committee of America