EX-AMBASSADOR OF TURKEY TO USA: TURKEY SHOULD EXERT PRESSURE ON ARMENIA

ARMINFO News Agency
February 14, 2007 Wednesday

Turkey should exert the necessary pressure on Armenia to prevent
passing of the resolution on Armenian Genocide, ex-Ambassador of
Turkey to the USA, Sukru Elekdag, told APA.

According to him, first of all, Turkey should stop the air
communication and an indirect export to Armenia, to evict 70,000 of
its citizens. "Armenia has to understand that if it keeps carrying
out the anti-Turkish policy, it will be repaid a hundredfold to it",
Elekdag said.

According to him, to prevent the passing of the resolution on the
Armenian Genocide by US Congress, George Bush should send a letter
to the Chairman of the House of Representatives and indicate that
"Turkey is our strategic ally" and "if the House of Representatives
shows shortsightedness and passes the resolution on the Armenian
Genocide, the relations with Turkey will be seriously violated". "We
have changed the policy towards Armenia under pressure of the USA
and the European Union. After occupation of Azeri lands, Turkey has
put an embargo towards Armenia. This measure has strongly pressed
the country, however, under pressure of the USA and EU turkey has
somewhat mitigated this embargo". As a measure to counteract the
passing of the resolution, the ex-Ambassador also offers to hold
separate meetings with the Congress members.