Washington briefing: Chevron lobbied against Genocide resolution as it sought Turkey oil concession

by Emil Sanamyan

Published: Friday July 24, 2009

AYF protest at Chevron in Washington. AYF photo

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Washington - A major U.S. oil company engaged in lobbying against a congressional resolution that affirms the U.S. record on the Armenian Genocide as it negotiated to win an oil concession in Turkey.

"As a major energy producer in the region, we support the integrity of multiple energy transportation routes and a diplomatic relationship between Turkey and Armenia," Chevron spokesperson Justin Higgs was quoted by the Armenian Youth Federation (AYF) as saying, adding that the Genocide resolution, "would have hurt, not helped, relations between Turkey and Armenia."

The statement came as the AYF, the youth organization of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation, launched a nationwide campaign calling attention to the lobbying.

While Chevron is not directly involved in Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan, the region's major oil pipeline, the company has recently received Turkish government permission to prospect for oil near the country's border with Iraq.

According to its formal disclosure, Chevron's lobbying efforts coincided with its negotiations with the Turkish state company for the concession.

The Associated Press reported last month that Chevron was among the U.S. companies that paid for lobbying against the resolution. Other companies involved were manufacturers of weapons systems BAE Systems Inc., Goodrich Corp., Northrop Grumman Corp., Raytheon Co., and United Technologies Corp.

connect:
http://www.anca.org/chevron