U.S. congressman Ted Lieu, member of Democratic Party from California, has called for a resolution to be passed in Senate, recognizing the Armenian genocide in reaction to Turkish threats to U.S. troops in Syria.
“Turkey essentially is telling the United States that we should end our support to Kurdish YPG fighters or risk being targeted by Turkey. In fact, they had some pretty specific remarks, threats to U.S. troops and our policy there,” said, according to local media sources.
“We all understand that the Armenian Genocide happened, it is a historical fact, and the only reason that that resolution has not been passed is that we want to keep our relations with Turkey,” he said, adding “Is it now time to pass that resolution and tell Turkey that look, if you are going to take these actions against us, we are going to tell the truth and do some things you just might not like?”
According to Ahval news site report, the comments came during a Congress sub-committee hearing on the way forward for Syria in which Turkey was heavily criticized for its ongoing operation against the Kurdish-held Syrian enclave of Afrin.