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ANCA-OC representative flank Rep. Dana Rohrabacher

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif. The Armenian National Committee of America Orange County Chapter (ANCA-OC) commended Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) for his principled leadership in calling national attention and securing broad bi-partisan condemnation of the May 16th brutal beating of peaceful protesters by Turkish President RecepTayyip Erdogans security forces in Washington.

During a June 16 meeting, Rep. Rohrabacher, who serves as Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Europe, Eurasia and Emerging Threats, told ANCA-OC members that, The government of Turkey is proving itself to be not just a threat to Armenians, but a threat to freedom loving people everywhere. President Erdogan is a tyrant and radical Islamist. Its time for the United States to give serious consideration to adjusting our priorities and alliances in that part of the world.

Immediately after the attack on protesters, ordered by Turkish President Erdogan and carried out just feet in front of him, Rep. Rohrabacher held public hearings, inviting representatives of the Kurdish, Yezidi and Armenian communities to share their eye-witness accounts of the assault. ANCA Executive Director Aram Hamparian, whose video footage of the attacks was shown by major media outlets throughout the world, offered powerful testimony during the hearing.

During the House Foreign Affairs Committee consideration of H.Res.354, condemning the Turkish attacks and calling for perpetrators to be brought to justice, Congressman Rohrabacher was adamant. He [Erdogan] is not welcome in this country if he is going to think that he can attack Americans for expressing their opposition to his policies.

Following unanimous committee passage, the resolution was adopted by the House of Representatives by a vote of 397 to 0. US law enforcement has since arrested two Turkish Americans in connection with the attacks and issued arrest warrants for 12 members of Erdogans security detail, as well as two Turkish Canadian citizens.

The ANCA-OCs open and frank conversation with Congressman Rohrabacher also focused on H.Res.220, the Armenian Genocide Prevention Resolution, Armenia and Artsakhs difficult geo-political challenges, Turkeys destabilizing role in Syria and the region, the key contributions of the Kurdish community, as well as other issues important to the Armenian-American community in the U.S. and specifically in Orange County.

ANCA OC leaders also urged the Congressman to oppose a pending sale of U.S. semi-automatic guns to Turkey, targeted for use by Erdogans security detail.

The productive meeting concluded with ANCA OC and Congressman Rohrabacher agreeing to continue working together in Washington and locally in Orange County.

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Rep. Rohrabacher Calls Erdogan a 'Tyrant and Radical Islamist' - Asbarez Armenian News

WASHINGTON Rising American criticism of Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan has spurred hopes that the U.S. will take a tougher line against his repression, according to a top opposition Turkish lawmaker.

They can do more, Hiyar zsoy, a parliamentarian associated with Turkeys pro-Kurdish Peoples Democratic Party, known as HDP, told HuffPost recently during a stateside visit to meet with members of Congress and Trump administration officials.

Powerful Republicans and Democrats criticized an attack by Erdogans security personnel on protesters during his visit to the U.S. in May. U.S. authorities have since taken the unusual step of announcing criminal charges against the foreign officials. This month, the House passed a unanimous resolution condemning the guards behavior.

Every single one of them voted for it, zsoy said of the House resolution. (More than 30 members of the House did not vote; no lawmakers voted against the resolution.)

For quite some time, the U.S. administration as well as politicians have been trying to somehow manage Erdogan, to ease his anxiety, zsoy continued. But it seems that they are fed up, I think, and this was, theyre angry not simply because of this attack, but this was kind of a tipping point, and it seems that they are saying enough is enough, we are not going to tolerate you and manage your anxieties anymore, and you need to behave.

Some Turkish officials believe the U.S., their ally in the NATO alliance, has underestimated their concerns about an attempted coup against Erdogan last year, and the growing power of a Kurdish militant group called the YPG, which is working with the U.S. against the Islamic State in Syria.

Erdogan sees the YPG as an extension of a movement called the PKK a Kurdish organization responsible for hundreds of deaths within Turkey and still engaged in conflict with the government. Both Turkey and the U.S. list the PKK as a terror group.

But U.S. officials say theyre confident the YPG will not threaten Turkey with its new American weaponry. And compassion regarding the coup has waned because of Erdogans response fresh attacks on the press (Turkey is the worlds most prodigious jailer of journalists) the firing of tens of thousands of ordinary people, and assaults on opposition politicians.

Erdogans post-coup state of emergency seems to target criticism, not terrorism, Zeid Raad al-Hussein, the United Nations high commissioner for human rights, said in March. Humanitarian groups say the government overreach exacerbates problems caused by a brutal years-long crackdown in Turkeys mostly Kurdish southeastern regions.

Erdogan has responded to international criticism with anger. What kind of a rule, what kind of a law is this? he said in reaction to the charges against his bodyguards. The Turkish leader has also grown closer to Russia, a move analysts say is meant to signal that he does not necessarily need Washingtons support.

American decision-makers should see that there is now no value in compromising to soothe Erdogan, zsoy said. He wants U.S. officials to step up criticism of heavy-handed Turkish government actions, like the imprisonment of his partys leaders, and challenge talking points from Turkeys lobbyists, like the claim that Erdogan is open to peace with the PKK after having consolidated his power as president in a controversial recent referendum.

At best, they can be forced to have some kind of negotiations, the lawmaker said, referring to Erdogan and the ultra-nationalist, anti-Kurdish factions in Turkeys military and politics, with whom the president has aligned in recent years.

The harsh rhetoric about Erdogan and broad support for the Kurds on both sides of the aisle suggests that more Capitol Hill pressure may well be possible.

Asked whether he believes President Donald Trumps stated admiration for Erdogan will make it hard for the U.S. to challenge Turkey, zsoy said he believes the presidents domestic troubles over Russia will make it hard for him to truly shape U.S. foreign policy.

Even in the U.S. where the president is so powerful, foreign policy decisions are not based on whether the presidents like each other personally or not, he added. If Erdogan is investing in the Trump administration, I can say that he will be disappointed.

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US Distaste For Turkish Leader Erdogan May Have Reached 'Tipping Point' - HuffPost

The European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee MEPs have adopted a resolution urging Brussels to formally suspend EU accession talks with Turkey, if a constitutional change granting President Erdogan sweeping powers goes ahead.

The resolution came as part of an annual assessment of Turkey's reform progress by Foreign Affairs Committee MEPs, according to a Tuesday press release from the European Parliament.

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Referencing a recent vote which gave Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan sweeping powers, the European Parliament called on the EU to "formally suspend the accession negotiations with Turkey without delay if the constitutional reform package is implemented unchanged."

Erdogan's controversial referendum victory means he will become the sole executive head of state, with authority to choose his own cabinet ministers, enact laws, call elections, and declare states of emergency. Prior to the referendum, the role of the president in Turkey was more of a ceremonial one.

The parliament's press release also criticized Ankara's actions following last year's coup attempt.

"MEPs think that measures taken in response to the coup attempt are disproportionate, regretting the large-scale dismissal of civil servants, the closing of media outlets, the arrest of journalists, judges and human rights defenders, and the closure of schools and universities," it states.

The MEPs have expressed concern that Turkey will "backslide" when it comes to the rule of law, human rights, media freedom, and the fight against corruption. They also condemned the Turkish governments "repeatedly declared support for the reintroduction of the death penalty," which would "put into question Turkey's membership in the Council of Europe and lead to an immediate end of EU accession talks."

Turkeys bid to join the EU has been stalled for decades, and was further strained following Ankara's response to last year's coup attempt, as well the decision to grant Erdogan sweeping powers.

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The EU previously laid out a list of 72 requirements for Ankara to meet before being able to join the bloc. Although Turkey fulfilled most of the conditions, officials say it failed to comply with the most important one, which was to relax its strict anti-terrorism laws, said to have been used to silence Erdogan's critics.

Last year, Ankara agreed to a landmark migrant deal with the bloc which would see it take back all illegal migrants landing in Greece from its shores, in exchange for accelerated talks on becoming a member of the bloc and billions in refugee assistance from the EU. Turkey also rallied for visa-free travel to the EU for its citizens as part of the deal, a condition which led has Ankara to threaten to ditch the agreement if it isn't granted.

The European lawmakers did, however, recognize the "importance of good EU-Turkey relations and maintaining a constructive and open dialogue" on Tuesday, calling it key to addressing challenges such as migration, security, and terrorism.

"MEPs propose upgrading the EU-Turkey Customs Union, by making human rights and fundamental freedoms part of a new agreement," the press release states.

The Tuesday resolution was adopted in a 51-3 vote, with 14 abstentions. The full house is set to vote on the issue during the upcoming plenary session next month.

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Euro MPs urge scrapping Turkey accession talks over Erdogan's sweeping powers - RT

By Kayhan Gul and Dzihat Aliju

TIRANA, Albania

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has warned Albania against Fetullah Terrorist Organization (FETO) elements in the country.

Speaking in an exclusive interview aired on Tirana-based broadcaster Top Channel late Monday, Erdogan said that Albania needed to learn lessons from the foiled coup attempt in Turkey last July, which Ankara says was masterminded by FETO.

"If this terrorist organization was able to do this [coup attempt] in Turkey, they could do the same in Albania tomorrow," he said.

"Albania is a smaller country with a fewer population. It could pose a greater threat there," he added.

In his remarks, Erdogan called on Albanians not to send their children to FETO-led schools in order to prevent this threat, and not to "ever give them the opportunity" to infiltrate government and state institutions by placing those students in public positions just like they did in Turkey.

The Turkish president said he had also made the same request to Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama and President Bujar Nishani, and warned that the FETO might otherwise become a source of threat in the country in the future, and then "it would be too late".

Erdogan suggested that the Turkish Maarif [Education] Foundation, and Albania's Education Ministry take joint action to ensure that the students currently enrolled in such schools continue their education at new schools to be established in the country.

The Maarif Foundation was established after the July 2016 coup attempt to take over the administration of overseas schools linked to FETO. It also establishes schools and education centers abroad.

According to Turkeys Ambassador to Tirana, Hidayet Bayraktar, FETO operates 12 schools in Albania.

- Albanian elections to mark new era

Turning to the upcoming parliamentary polls in Albania, Erdogan said the June 25 elections would mark the beginning of a new era in the country.

"I believe that the Albanians will further empower their future in this process," he said.

The president said Turkey considers Albania a significant element of solidarity and stability in the Balkans.

"We would be very sad if a country which is so important for the stability of the Balkans becomes weak," said Erdogan and vowed Turkey would continue to support Albania in every area including politics, military, economy and culture.

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Erdogan warns against FETO threat in Albania - Anadolu Agency

ERBIL, Kurdistan Region (Kurdistan24) - Members of the security detail of Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan who kicked and beat up American-Kurdish protestors in May in Washington, DC were not "above the law," said the Mayor of US federal capital Muriel Bowser on Monday.

"By issuing arrest warrants for the 12 Turkish government agents involved in the brutal and unprovoked attack, we send a clear and unambiguous message that no one not even the security force of a foreign leader is above the law," wrote Bowser in a short opinion piece in the New York Times.

Two US resident Turks have already been arrested for their involvement in the attack.

Bowser defended her administration's last week announcement of charges and arrest warrants against 18 individuals, including 12 members of the Turkish presidential security detail who brutalized peaceful demonstrators outside the Turkish ambassadors residence in Washington.

The assault took place shortly after a long-awaited White House meeting between Erdogan and President Donald Trump on May 16.

District of Columbia's decision to go after Erdogan's security detail angered him last Friday.

"How can such a thing happen? They [Americans] have issued arrest warrants for 12 of my bodyguards. What kind of law is this," Erdogan asked in his first remarks since the attack that led to an uproar from the media and widespread condemnation by prominent politicians in the US.

"The actions of those Turkish security officials and their supporters were a reprehensible attack on a core American value: the right to assemble and protest peacefully," said Bowser.

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World Erdogan's bodyguards not above the law: DC Mayor - Kurdistan24