Alalam News Network, Iran
March 7 2010
Clinton vows to stop Turkey ‘genocide’ bill
Sat, 06 Mar 2010 10:47:41 GMT
US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, has said that the Obama
administration will `work very hard’ to prevent a congressional bill
being passed, which describes the World War I killing of Armenians by
Turkey as "genocide".
On Thursday, a congressional panel approved the resolution, making way
for a vote by the House.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has warned that if such a bill
were passed it would certainly damage US-Turkey relations.
The resolution – approved by 23 votes to 22 by the committee – calls
on President Barack Obama to ensure US foreign policy reflects an
understanding of the "genocide" and to label the killings of Armenians
as such.
The same committee tried to pass a similar bill two years ago, but
this was also blocked by then-president George W. Bush.
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Friday called on
Washington to stop the US Congress panel’s resolution, warning of
damage to bilateral ties.
Having recalled its ambassador immediately after the resolution was
adopted, Ankara warned that Washington risked a showdown with a key
Muslim ally if the resolution advanced to a full vote at the House of
Representatives.