Hürriyet, Turkey
Feb 9 2007
In Washington DC, FM Gul pushes against Armenian claims
With Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul on an official visit to the US
capital Washington, DC, the Armenian claims of genocide have shaped
the course of diplomacy efforts over the past days for the Turkish
delegation.
Speaking to the Hurriyet, a Turkish Foreign Ministry source said "We
have explained to everyone here how much sensitivity this matter
holds for the Turkish people. The US administration understands the
importance of the situation. We had done our best in the Congress."
The same source reasserted assurances which have emerged over the
past weeks that, as the Armenian Genocide bill proceeds further in
the Congress, it is expected that US President George W. Bush will
intercede to try and stop it. It has also been reported that US State
Department officials have prepared a letter to be given to Congress
members, and that an additional section of the letter addresses the
matter "Why Turkey is important."
The same source said to the Hurriyet: "We will continue to speak
about this at every level. We have not behaved as though this bill is
a threat. However, it is a truth that on many levels, Turkey has
helped the US. We have underlined this. Our dual relations are too
important to be toyed with by the narrow elections calculations of a
few Congress members…."