AZG Armenian Daily #169, 21/09/2005

Turkey

ERDOGAN EXPRESSES REGRET

Bush Administration Doesn’t Agree with the Bill Recognizing Armenian
Genocide

The Associated Press informed that Turkish PM expressed regret concerning
the two resolutions on Armenian Genocide passed by the House of
Representatives at the U.S. Congress. Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed hope
that the resolutions will not be discussed at the regular sitting of the
House of Representatives.

The Bush administration doesn’t agree with the adopted two bills on the
recognition of the Armenian Genocide. Adam Areli, an official of the U.S.
State Department, stated that the position of the Bush administration
concerning the events of 1915 remains unchanged. “This issue shouldn’t be
politicized. It should be discussed seriously and sincerely,” he said. “The
administration didn’t support the adoption of the resolutions at the
international relations committee of the House of Representatives. That
position passed to the congressmen that do not doubt about the position of
the U.S. State Department and the American Government,” Areli said.

Last Friday, the Committee for International Relations at the House of
Representatives adopted resolutions recognizing the Armenian Genocide,
though the State Department sent a message to the congressmen saying that
“the resolutions will hinder the Turkish-American relations and create
obstacles between Ankara and Yerevan that have already began to discuss the
issue.” Commenting on the adoption of the resolutions, the official
representative of the State Department cited an extract from the April 24
speech of president Bush. “We remember the exile of 1,5 million of Armenians
during the last years of the Ottoman Empire. Many Armenians call that
horrible event the Armenian Genocide,” Bush said. “We are looking forward to
the freedom, peace and prosperity of Armenia and Turkey, hoping that PM
Erdogan’s suggestion to create a joint Turkish Armenian committee will
contribute to the solution of the issue,” the U.S. President said.

By Tatoul

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress