TURKEY WORKING TO PREVENT HOUSE VOTE ON ARMENIAN GENOCIDE BILL
AZG DAILY
22-12-2010
Turkey is pulling out all the stops to convince US lawmakers not to
proceed with a possible vote on the Armenian Genocide Resolution
(H.Res.252) in a House vote tentatively scheduled for Tuesday,
reported the Turkish Hurriyet Daily News on Monday.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan sent a letter to President
Barack Obama outlining the gravity of the situation, while other
high-ranking Turkish political figures have warned that a positive
vote could have a deep effect on US-Turkish relations
Turkey is redoubling its efforts to prevent a possible U.S. House of
Representatives vote Tuesday on Armenian Genocide claims,
“In the letter Prime Minister [Recep Tayyip Erdogan] drew attention to
the seriousness and sensitivity of the situation. He called President
Obama to make active efforts in order to prevent the resolution from
going to the House. Erdogan reminded [the president] of the efforts
of Ankara to normalize relations with Armenia,” a Turkish Foreign
Ministry official told the Hurriyet on Monday.
“Foreign Minister [Ahmet] Davutoglu, the Turkish Embassy in Washington,
Turkish and U.S. Azerbaijani lobbies and Turkish-U.S.
friendship groups are urging U.S. officials to avoid the resolution,”
the same official said.
According to Hurriyet, Turkish diplomatic sources said Ankara has
received overwhelming support from the upper echelons of the U.S.
government, citing Deputy Secretary of State Philip Crowley’s
statement Friday that the State Department was categorically against
the potential vote.
Davutoglu spoke with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton last
week and asked her to halt the adoption of the resolution.
Turkish Embassy staff in Washington have been holding talks with
high-ranking U.S. executives in the White House, the National Security
Council and the departments of State and Defense to prevent the vote,
sources said.
The Turkish-U.S. Friendship Group in Congress has also been sending
letters to members of Congress arguing against the resolution and
calling on members close to Turkey to become part of the efforts
against the resolution.
From: A. Papazian