Armenian, Assyrian and Hellenic Genocide News

Greek Cypriot lobby now active in US Congress
by TURKISH Daily News - 18 Nov. 2000
Posted: Sunday, November 26, 2000 07:53 pm CST

Senator Joseph Biden, a member of the Greek Cypriot lobby, has started a campaign to prevent the sale of eight heavy lift transport helicopters to Turkey

Ankara - Turkish Daily News

No sooner had the U.S.  House of Representatives thrown off the Armenian lobby's non-binding resolution on the alleged genocide, than the Greek Cypriot lobby moved to take its place and start a new anti-Turkey initiative, the Anatolia news agency reported yesterday.

Democrat Party Senator Joseph Biden is leading the campaign to block the sale of eight Sikorsky CH-53E Sea Stallion heavy lift transport helicopters to Turkey and is doing so reportedly due his feelings over Turkey's unmoving position vis-a-vis the Cyprus issue.  Observers in Washington said that Biden believes Bulent Ecevit's words "the Cyprus question was resolved in 1974" sums up the entire Turkish attitude to the problem.  Experts in Washington believe that these attempts to block the helicopter sales will ultimately fail.  U.S.  law allows a 15-day period after Congress has been notified of proposed arms sales to a fellow NATO country in which to lodge objections.  For an objection to be lodged, those opposed must prepare a bill opposing the sale within 15 days and get it passed through the House of Representatives and the Congress with a two-thirds majority.  Under current conditions, such an eventuality is being seen to be highly unlikely.

The helicopters were to be delivered in 2003 and are said to give the Turkish ground forces the capability of moving battalion-sized units to new locations within a short period of time thus increasing the mobility of the ground forces.

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