‘WE CANNOT SUPPRESS PUBLIC DEMAND’

Hurriyet, Turkey
Feb 10 2007

Speaking to the Washington Post, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul warned
that if the US House of Representatives adopts draft legislation
making it a crime to deny the Armenian Genocide, Turkey would enter
a state of shock and the government would have little in the way of
answers to public calls that Turkey cease collaborating with the US.

Gul also stated the importance of delaying the referendum regarding
Kirkuk. Describing Kirkuk as ‘Little Iraq’, Gul argued that the city
should be given special status that would keep it outside the borders
of a Kurdish Iraq should the country be split in three. The Minister
went on to say, "If Kirkuk [is included] in this region, this will be
a great error. Those wanting to withdraw from a difficult situation
should not get caught up in another difficult situation. The division
of Iraq would be a terrible mistake."