WASHINGTON, DC – A recent survey of nine countries conducted by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press revealed that despite billions in U.S. financial assistance and efforts by the Bush Administration to support its accession into the European Union, the Turkish population continues to have a negative view of the United States, reported the Armenian National Committee of America (ANCA).

The March 16, 2004 poll, titled “A Year After Iraq: Mistrust of America in Europe Ever Higher, Muslim Anger Persists,” reveals that “in Turkey, where bin Laden is highly unpopular, as many as 31% say that suicide attacks against Americans and other Westerners in Iraq are justifiable.”
Other responses include:

** 52% in Turkey have unfavorable views of Christians; 49% have unfavorable views of Jews.

** 63% in Turkey have either a very unfavorable or somewhat unfavorable view of America

** 55% in Turkey say that the United States is overreacting to terrorism.

** 56% in Turkey oppose America’s war on terrorism.

** 61% in Turkey believe that the true motive of he US-led war on terrorism is to dominate the world.

** 64% in Turkey do not believe that the US-led war on terrorism is a sincere effort to reduce international terrorism.

The complete report is available on the Pew Research Center website: www.people-press.org

The ANCA distributed these key statistics to Members of Congress and staff this week, as part of an ongoing education campaign, countering the intensive multi-million dollar lobbying efforts by the Turkish Government to white-wash their image within the United States. Among the top beneficiaries of Turkish government lobbying funds are former Louisiana Republican Congressman and House Speaker hopeful Bob Livingston as well as former House Rep. Stephen Solarz (D-NY), the self-described “Congressman from Istanbul.”