ANKARA: US-Turkish conf says Armenian bill might damage relations

Anatolia News Agency, Turkey
March 26 2007

US-Turkish conference says Armenian bill might damage relations

Washington, DC, 26 March: Participants underlined that the resolution
on so-called Armenian genocide that was submitted to the US Congress
might damage Turkish-American relations during the 26th annual
conference on Turkish-US relations of American-Turkish Council (ATC)
that started in Washington, DC, on Monday [26 March].

Turkish State Minister Ali Babacan and the deputy chief of General
Staff, Gen Ergin Saygun, are among participants of the conference.

Taking the floor in the conference, ATC Board of Directors Chairman
Brent Scowcroft qualified the resolution on so-called Armenian
genocide as "harmful", underlining that the two countries should
focus on common policies and interests.

On the other hand, Turkish-US Business Council (TAIK) Chairman Ferit
Sahenk stated that the mentioned resolution disappointed Turkish
people, warning that this initiative would severely damage relations.