Azerbaijan, Baku, 28 June / Trend corr S. Ilhamgizi/ US experts think the support from United States' real presidential contender Barack Obama to the claims of Armenians to so-called 'Armenian genocide' which was allegedly committed by the Ottoman Empire and his promises to recognize the genocide - is just part of his election campaign.
"Candidates always try to receive support from strong lobbies and give promises, but that is a bad moment for democratic system," Thomas Golz, US expert on Turkey, said to Trend .
Last week, US presidential contender from Democrats Obama again demonstrated his support to Armenians' claims for 'genocide' due to the events which took place in the Ottoman Empire in 1915. In the letter, which he sent to the American-Armenian international committee, he stated that he shares Armenians' position.
"We must recognize this historic tragedy. There is no excuse to the fact that Bush Administration does not recognize it. I will continue my efforts to change the position of the administration," he said.
Golz described Obama's such statements as a scandal and is pity about contender's position. "Obama says 'my election campaign will be equitable. I will be supported not by lobby but by the American people', but at the same time he tries to gain support from the Armenian lobby," Golz said.
Expert added that every year congressmen raise the issue on so-called "Armenian genocide', but they have no idea about where the land of Azerbaijan occupied by Armenia is located.
Golz thinks sooner or later official Washington will recognize the so-called 'Armenian genocide' and that will negatively affect the relationships between Turkey and the United States: "Unfortunately, sooner or later United States will recognize the events of 1915 as genocide. Because the Armenians insist on this issue and make the same appeal to the Congress each year," the expert said and added that it is the same case with France, Switzerland and other countries who have recognized the so-called genocide after they changed their positions in favor of the Armenians.
"Because they are people who sit in the parliament where such kinds of decisions are usually adopted, they are not historians and they make political decisions by using historical events. But the historical events should be studied by not politicians, but historians," Golts said.
The other American expert on US - Turkey relations Michael Kotter believes that Obama is neither first nor the last candidate mediating in Armenia-US relations.
Kotter also expressed his regret over Obama's support to the Armenian lobby in their so-called 'genocide' claims.
According to Kedar, once in office U.S. presidents recognize political realities, and none has ever supported an effort to have the U.S. Government recognize those events as 'genocide'.
"Wouldn't be surprised if 8 years ago President Bush said the same thing," the former US Ambassador to Turkmenistan Michael Kotter said to Trend .
Kotter added that all such efforts come from a small number of congressmen who bear little responsibility for the conduct of the US foreign policy.
The Turkish government rejects the so-called Armenian 'genocide' claims and the official statements of Turkey say that the efforts to re-settle the Armenian population of the Ottoman Empire in 1915 which aimed at providing security of the state can not be considered 'genocide'. Since 2000, the Turkish Premier Rajab Tayyip Erdogan has been calling Armenia to open archives of both countries and to set up joint group of historians which will study 1915 events together. Armenia has not yet responded these calls.
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