TURKISH PM SAYS GENOCIDE BILL MAY CAST SHADOW OVER TURKEY-US PARTNERSHIP

Anatolia News Agency, Turkey
Feb 17 2007

Istanbul, 17 February: "We don’t expect a negative decision to be
adopted regarding the draft on so-called Armenian genocide at US
House of Representatives in April. However, I am concerned that a
contrary decision may overshadow our strategical partnership," said
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan who attended the dinner
of the American Business Forum in Turkey (ABFT) at Istanbul Hilton
Hotel on Saturday [17 February].

"We are getting close to a very sensitive period. April is closing and
so-called Armenian genocide allegations will be brought onto agenda
again. We are tired of it. But, Armenian diaspora is not. We say that
this is historians’ job. I wrote a letter to Armenian prime minister. I
proposed this issue to be examined by historians, political scientists,
lawyers, archeologists and art historians.

Then, we – politicians – shall assess the reports on these
examinations. Turkey opened its archives. More than 1 million documents
have been examined so far. If you (Armenia) have archives too, you
shall open them. If third countries have archives, they shall open
and we examine. But we cannot accept to be stained without making
these examinations," Erdogan said.

He noted, "currently, there are nearly 40-50,000 Armenians who
living as illegal migrants in Turkey. But, we don’t send them back to
Armenia. Why these Armenians are living in Turkey? Because they do not
have the appropriate living conditions in Armenia. They came Turkey,
and we do not send them away."

Noting that Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul as well as Turkish
Chief of General Staff Gen Yasar Buyukanit held meetings in the United
States regarding the draft on so-called Armenian genocide, Erdogan
called on businessmen to exert efforts too. He expressed belief that
economic, political, military, commercial and cultural solidarity
between Turkey and the United States will continue from now on too.

"It is very meaningful that the economic and commercial relations
with the United States are developing in parallel with comprehensive
cooperation on political and security areas," said Erdogan and added:
"This development will have important contributions to all dimensions
of strategic partnership."

"We attach importance to evaluate the existing potential in economic
relations on maximum level. It is pleasing that the bilateral trade
volume between Turkey and the United States nearly reached 12bn US
dollars by the end of 2006. But this is not enough. Last year, US
investments in Turkey was 5bn US dollars. But these figures do not
reflect the real potential," noted Erdogan.

Noting that Turkey is the country which fulfilled the highest number
of privatization in Europe last year, Erdogan said that direct
international investment worth of 20bn US dollars was made in Turkey
in 2006.

Erdogan said that Turkey is the 19th biggest economy of the world,
and it has become an attraction centre for international investments
with its 200bn US dollars of foreign trade.

Erdogan noted that Turkish contracting companies have completed
projects worth of 100bn US dollars abroad so far. "We wish these
companies to make more cooperation with US private sector. This
cooperation will yield very successful results especially in
reconstruction projects in Iraq, Afghanistan and Lebanon," he added.