Wednesday, October 4 2017 12:19

ArmInfo. In a sign of the continued rift created by the May 16th Turkish presidential security detail's attack on peaceful American protesters in Washington, DC,  Secretary of State Rex Tillerson revealed, in response to  Congressional inquiries, that he "has no knowledge of President  Erdogan apologizing or expressing regret for the May 16 assault.

" In addition, he acknowledged that the U.S. government has yet to request  that Ankara waive diplomatic immunity for the Turkish bodyguards  indicted for these unprovoked attacks, reported the Armenian National  Committee of America (ANCA).

In admitting, without explanation, that the Department of State has  not asked Turkey to waive immunity, Secretary Tillerson noted that  the State Department is working with the Department of Justice on  this matter and will weigh any possible additional steps on a case by  case basis.  His responses came to written questions submitted by  Reps. David Cicilline (D-RI) and Brad Sherman (D-CA) during a House  Foreign Affairs Committee hearing in June of this year. These  responses were made public this week.

"We welcome Secretary Tillerson's refreshingly straightforward  admission that President Erdogan remains defiant and unapologetic in  the face of global outrage over his May 16th attack," said Aram  Hamparian, Executive Director of the ANCA.  "At the same time, we  remain troubled that, nearly five months after this foreign attack  against peaceful protesters on American soil, legal and diplomatic  actions have yet to be undertaken by our government to bring his  security detail back to the United States to stand trial for their  actions." 

A grand jury in the U.S. capital issued indictments against 19  people, including 15 members of Turkish President Recep Tayip  Erdogan's security detail, for their brutal May 16th attack against  peaceful protesters gathered in front of the Turkish Ambassador's  residence in Washington, DC.  Hamparian's live video shot at the  scene showed pro-Erdogan forces crossing a police line and beating  peaceful protesters - elderly men and several women - who were on the  ground bleeding during most of the attack.  In June, with a vote of  397 to 0, the U.S. House of Representatives unanimously condemned  Turkey in response to the attacks, taking a powerful stand against  Ankara's attempts to export its violence and intolerance to America's  shores.  In September, responding to strong Congressional pressure,  the Trump Administration officially withdrew its controversial  proposal to allow the sale of U.S. semi-automatic handguns to Turkish  President Recep Erdogan's security detail, following outrage  regarding the May 16th attacks.