TURKEY RETURNS AMBASSADOR TO WASHINGTON
Laura Rozen
Politico
arozen/0410/Turkey_returns_ambassador_to_Washingto n.html
April 7 2010
Turkey’s ambassador to the U.S. returned to Washington on Tuesday, a
month after being recalled to Ankara after a congressional committee
narrowly passed a resolution calling the Ottoman-era killing of up
to 1.5 million Armenians genocide.
Diplomat Namik Tan landed in Washington on Tuesday night and is
expected back at work at the Turkish embassy on Wednesday, Hurriyet’s
Tolga Tanis said.
Turkish journalists also said Turkish Prime Minister Recept Tayyip
Erdogan has requested a meeting with Barack Obama when he comes next
week for the Nuclear Security Summit. White House spokesman Robert
Gibbs said today that Obama so far has nine bilateral meetings planned
next week, among them with the Armenian president.
"Turkey decided to send back its ambassador to Washington last week
after U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had a one-hour talk
with her Turkish counterpart, Ahmet Davutoglu, on the phone," Zaman
reported Tuesday.
"Observers say Tan’s return is also aimed at lobbying in Washington
before April 24, when President Barack Obama will issue an annual
message to commemorate the Armenians who perished in eastern Anatolia,"
Zaman reported. "He refrained from using the word ‘genocide’ in his
message last year, but it is unclear whether he will do the same
this year."
Washington is also seeking Turkey’s vote on the U.N. Security Council
for a new resolution sanctioning Iran.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
