Στη Γερουσία η “μάχη” για τις δύο φρεγάτες της Τουρκίας-HR 6649 “Naval Vessel Transfer Act of 2012” passes US House despite opposition by Congressmen Sherman, Bilirakis, Engel & Sarbanes but fails to reach the US Senate in time.

Congressman Engel, in his remarks, stressed: “Some people say this should continue because, after all, Turkey is an ally and we need to help them. Well, I look at it the other way. They’re a NATO ally, so they have responsibility. And the way they’re acting has been anything but responsible. This is not an inconsequential or trivial matter.”
Representative Sarbanes, in his comments, remarked that: “This is not a non-controversial bill. I know it’s being brought here on suspension as though it is, and I’m sure in the past when we’ve had these transfers of vessels, excess defense materials and so forth, often that is a non-controversial action to take. In this case, it’s anything but non-controversial, and I’m surprised, frankly, that the majority would bring the bill to the floor in this form.”
In his remarks, Rep. Bilirakis explained his opposition to H.R.6649, noting that: “the Turkish navy, as recently as last year, held naval live-fire exercises in the eastern Mediterranean. These provocative exercises took place near the natural gas fields of Israel and the Republic of Cyprus and threatened to disrupt peaceful and productive economic activity. Instead, Mr. Speaker, it is my hope that, in the eastern Mediterranean, Congress will continue to work to foster the relationships between the United States, Greece, Israel, and Cyprus in order to promote and foster issues of mutual, economic, and diplomatic importance.”

In the end, the HR 6649 passed the US House but never made it to the floor of the US Senate for approval and was not signed into law. However, this was purely a timing issue and it will most likely be re-introduced during the 113 th Congress.

The American Hellenic Council, along with other Greek-American groups, notably the Hellenic-American Leadership Council and the American Hellenic Institute moved fast to oppose the passage of the bill or to instill language that opposes the unconditional transfer of those naval ships to Turkey without assurances that Turkey will abide by international maritime law and stop intimidating its neighbors Cyprus, Greece and Israel.

“We rushed to inform our elected officials from California to oppose this bill that was brought up at the last moment in the middle of the fiscal cliff crisis. We want to thank Rep. Sherman, Bilirakis, Engel & Sarbanes for taking the honorable position on this issue.” mentioned Alexander Mizan, Executive Director of the AHC.

“Although we were disappointed to find out that several Congress members that we have relationships with favored the bill, we did find some common ground with Los Angeles-based Congressman Sherman on the matter, who spoke against this bill. It will be an uphill battle but we are hoping that with the help of the Armenian and Jewish communities, with whom we are working together, we will be able to inform and educate our elected officials on the matte” Mizan mentioned.

The bill is expected to be reintroduced during the 113 th Congress and the AHC is already making contacts with Members of Congress asking them to oppose it.