Cemil Çiçek – Turkey could face reparations claims after US recognition of Armenian genocide
Sunday, November 3, 2019 – Armenian Genocide:
In the United States, Armenians may seek redress after the US House of Representatives voted Tuesday to recognize the genocide committed by the Ottoman Empire a century ago, said a veteran Turkish politician.
Cemil Çiçek, former speaker of the Turkish parliament and current member of the Turkish Presidency’s top advisory council, said that Armenian plaintiffs could appeal a previous Californian court ruling by 9 November.
The vote in the House on Tuesday took place in the context of Congressional bipartisan anger at the Turkish offensive in northeastern Syria against Syrian Kurdish forces who fought Islamic State alongside forces US.
Cemil Çiçek told Ahmet Taşgetiren, an editorialist for the Karar newspaper, that the decision of the US Congress could have wider repercussions.
“Armenians of Turkish origin have been suing Turkey for a while,” Cemil Çiçek quoted Ahmet Taşgetiren as saying.
“The latest US House of Representatives decision on genocide has in a way responded to Armenian demands for the political dimension. In addition, the number of votes in favor (405 to 11) could encourage Armenians. The courts could no longer justify their decisions by saying that the case should be left to politics, “he said.
Cemil Çiçek was referring to a decision of the US Court of Appeals, on August 9, to dismiss the appeal of two lawsuits filed by several Armenian-Americans seeking compensation from the Republic of Turkey and two from its banks for the confiscation of their property shortly after the Armenian genocide period. The decision of the court can be appealed until November 9, said the politician.
The first lawsuit was filed in 2010 by Alex Bakalian, Anais Haroutunian and Rita Mahdessian, who were demanding $ 65 million from the Turkish Central Bank and Ziraat Public Bank. The second lawsuit was brought by David Davoyan and Hrayr Turabian against the Republic of Turkey, the Central Bank of Turkey and Bank Ziraat.
In 2013, the US Court of Appeal dismissed the two lawsuits stating that “in accordance with the doctrine of the role of politics in certain issues – in this case, to determine whether the acts of Turkey constituted genocide – this point should be handled by the executive, not the courts. ”
In August, the court dismissed the appeal against its previous decision, saying the two Armenian lawsuits were time-barred.
“Armenians can now seek a higher court ruling for reparations, thinking that the current climate in the United States can work to their advantage,” Cemil Çiçek said. “Such a reparation decision can create problems for Turkey, which it may be difficult to overcome for 100 years,” he said.
by Stéphane on Sunday, November 3, 2019
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