Robert Gates: Passage of the enocide Resolution could hurt US-Turkey
relations
armradio.am
19.10.2007 17:25
Congressional passage of a resolution labeling as genocide the mass
killings of Armenians by Turks a century ago would hurt US relations
with Turkey, "perhaps beyond repair," Defense Secretary Robert Gates
said, according to the Associated Press.
Gates told reporters Thursday that he has encouraged congressional
leaders not to pass the resolution. Earlier, he met at the Pentagon
with Armenian Prime Minister Serge Sargsyan. Gates said neither he nor
his guest raised the subject.
"Having worked this issue in the last Bush administration, I don’t
think the Turks are bluffing. I think it is that meaningful to them,"
Gates said. "I think there is a very real risk of perhaps not shutting
us down," but of at least restricting US access to Turkish airspace for
resupplying US troops in Iraq.