Turkish anger at U.S. Armenian genocide vote

Turkey has reacted angrily to a U.S. congressional panel's resolution describing as genocide the killings of Armenians in World War I.

Izvor: BBC

Friday, 05.03.2010.

11:11

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Turkey has reacted angrily to a U.S. congressional panel's resolution describing as genocide the killings of Armenians in World War I. PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan said his country had been accused of a crime it did not commit, adding the resolution would harm Turkish-US relations. Turkish anger at U.S. Armenian genocide vote Ankara has recalled its ambassador to Washington for consultations and says it is considering other responses. The White House had urged against the vote. Armenia welcomed the outcome. The government of Turkey, a key American ally and fellow NATO member, had lobbied hard for the U.S. Congress not to vote on the issue. The BBC's Jane O'Brien in Washington says Turkey must be hoping that, as with a similar resolution two years ago, the issue will not come to the floor of the House for a full vote. In 2007, it passed the committee stage, but was shelved after pressure from the George W Bush administration. The resolution was narrowly approved - by 23 votes to 22 - by the House Foreign Affairs Committee. It calls on President Barack Obama to ensure that US foreign policy reflects an understanding of the "genocide" and to label the World War I killings as such in his annual statement on the issue. Turkish President Abdullah Gul responded angrily to the committee's vote, saying it was "an injustice to history" to take such a decision with "political concerns in mind". "Turkey will not be responsible for the negative results that this event may lead to," he said. Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu told a news conference in Ankara on Friday that Turkey was determined to press ahead with efforts to normalise relations with Armenia. However, he said the ratification by parliament of peace accords signed with Armenia last October was in jeopardy. A Turkish parliamentary delegation had gone to Washington to try to persuade committee members to reject the resolution. Turkey accepts that atrocities were committed but argues they were part of the war and that there was no systematic attempt to destroy the Christian Armenian people. The Armenian government welcomed the vote, calling it "an important step towards the prevention of crimes against humanity".

Turkish anger at U.S. Armenian genocide vote

Ankara has recalled its ambassador to Washington for consultations and says it is considering other responses.

The White House had urged against the vote. Armenia welcomed the outcome.

The government of Turkey, a key American ally and fellow NATO member, had lobbied hard for the U.S. Congress not to vote on the issue.

The BBC's Jane O'Brien in Washington says Turkey must be hoping that, as with a similar resolution two years ago, the issue will not come to the floor of the House for a full vote.

In 2007, it passed the committee stage, but was shelved after pressure from the George W Bush administration.

The resolution was narrowly approved - by 23 votes to 22 - by the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

It calls on President Barack Obama to ensure that US foreign policy reflects an understanding of the "genocide" and to label the World War I killings as such in his annual statement on the issue.

Turkish President Abdullah Gul responded angrily to the committee's vote, saying it was "an injustice to history" to take such a decision with "political concerns in mind".

"Turkey will not be responsible for the negative results that this event may lead to," he said.

Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu told a news conference in Ankara on Friday that Turkey was determined to press ahead with efforts to normalise relations with Armenia.

However, he said the ratification by parliament of peace accords signed with Armenia last October was in jeopardy.

A Turkish parliamentary delegation had gone to Washington to try to persuade committee members to reject the resolution.

Turkey accepts that atrocities were committed but argues they were part of the war and that there was no systematic attempt to destroy the Christian Armenian people.

The Armenian government welcomed the vote, calling it "an important step towards the prevention of crimes against humanity".

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