Al-Alam News Network, Iran
March 7 2010

Turkish FM urges US to block ‘genocide’ bill
Fri, 05 Mar 2010 18:08:33 GMT

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Friday called on
Washington to stop the US Congress panel’s resolution labeling the
Ottoman-era massacre of Armenians "genocide", 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.

Turkey is "seriously disturbed" that President Barack Obama’s
administration "did not put enough weight" behind efforts to prevent
the resolution from being passed by the Foreign Affairs Committee,
Davutoglu said.

"We expect the US administration to make more efficient efforts from
now on," he said.

"We hope Turkish-US ties will not be put to a new test … otherwise,
the prospect that we will face will not be a positive one," he added,
calling the issue a "matter of national honor."

The committee passed the non-binding resolution Thursday by a slim
23-22 margin, ignoring pressure from Turkey and the White House.

Davutoglu said Turkey would consider counter-action, but did not
elaborate, saying only that consultations with the recalled envoy
"could take a long time."

President Abdullah Gul has warned that "Turkey will not be responsible
for the negative ramifications this vote may have in every field."

Davutoglu said the resolution also raised the "the risk of stopping"
bridge-building efforts with Armenia and stressed that Turkey would
not bow to pressure to ratify a troubled peace deal with its eastern
neighbor.

"We are determined to normalize Turkish-Armenian ties but we are
against this being secured through the intervention of third parties
and through pressure," he said.

Turkey and Armenia signed a deal in October to establish diplomatic
relations and open their border.

Davutoglu said the Armenian massacres should be studied by historians
and lashed out at US lawmakers for passing a judgement as part of
"local political games."

Stressing that only another "no" vote would have killed the
resolution, he said: "One vote would have changed the flow of
history… How can history be taken so lightly?"

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