Armenian, Turkish groups react to protocols

Following the signing of the Turkish-Armenia protocols in Zurich on Saturday, organizations representing the two ethnic groups quickly issued statements on the historic agreements and the U.S. role in helping forge the pacts.

Here's Armenian National Committee of America Chairman Ken Hachikian:

"The success of Turkey in pressuring Armenia into accepting these humiliating, one-sided protocols proves, sadly, that genocide pays.

President Obama, rather than honoring his pledge to recognize the Armenian Genocide, went in exactly the opposite direction, applying the full force of our nation's diplomacy to twist the arm of a landlocked and blockaded Armenia – a nation still struggling with the brutal legacy of its near-destruction - into accepting a dangerous set of protocols that call into question this very crime against humanity."

"The ANCA and all Armenian Americans will continue our efforts to restore morality to our nation's response to the Armenian Genocide, and, more broadly, to the cause of genocide prevention.  We will also work to prevent Turkey from using this agreement to further its genocide denial campaign, to undermine the rights of the Armenian nation, or to threaten the freedom of Nagorno Karabagh."

The Turkish Coalition of America, however, praised the agreements while invoking the surprise Nobel win of President Obama yesterday:

"The signing of the protocols crowns a mutual spirit of reconciliation by Turkey and Armenia that has been encouraged by Nobel Peace Prize laureate President Barack Obama," said Bruce Fein, resident scholar for the Turkish Coalition of America. "The people of Turkey and Armenia are both winners."

Meanwhile, K Street efforts on behalf of Turkey and Armenia are sure to continue as Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) intends to press forward with his resolution to call the 1915 killings of Armenians by the Ottoman Empire genocide -- and has brought more lawmakers on board as co-sponsors. Read all about it here.