In the days leading up to Wednesday's meeting between Pres. Bush and Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, members of the US House of Representatives raised serious concerns about Turkey's 12-year blockade of Armenia, reported the Armenian National Committee o America (ANCA). In a June 3rd letter, Congressional Armenian Caucus Co-Chairs Joe Knollenberg (R-MI) and Frank Pallone (D-NJ) were joined by Reps. Adam Schiff (D-CA) and George Radanovich (R-CA) in urging Pres. Bush and Secretary of State Rice to "again call upon Turkey to comply with your Administration's long-standing position that in order to restore economic, political, and cultural links with Armenia, Turkey should immediately lift its ongoing blockade with Armenia." The House members detailed the high cost of Turkey's blockade on
Armenia's struggling economy. "A recent State Department report estimated that the blockade is inflating Armenia's transportation costs by 30-35%, thereby stifling its trade and economy," noted the letter. "This report also stated that opening the border would catalyze commercial opportunities for Turkey and Armenia in the fields of energy, trade and tourism, valued at $1 billion per year."