‘AN UNEXPECTED MOVE FROM CONGRESS MAY HARM STRATEGIC TIES’

Today’s Zaman, Turkey
Feb 19 2007

Referring to the Armenian genocide resolution pending at the US
Congress, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoðan said that he
doesn’t expect a decision which would damage US-Turkish relations,
but he is concerned that a surprise move would harm the strategic
cooperation of Turkey and the US.

Erdoðan, who spoke at the third anniversary of the founding of the
American Business Forum in Turkey (ABFT), said, "We’re tired of
the Armenian diaspora’s claims, but they evidently are not tired of
repeating them. They either gain some advantages by bringing this
issue to the table over and over again, or they enjoy it. We say that
this is a task for the historians."

He also said Turkish citizens of Armenian ethnic origin do not face
any problems regarding security in Turkey. In reference to the slain
Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink, Erdoðan said, "If you bring one
unique example to us, we also have much to say in response. 42 Turkish
ambassadors were murdered while on duty. How did the world act then?"

Erdoðan also said about 50 thousand people from Armenia live in
Turkey without necessary permission from the Turkish authorities:
"But we don’t send them back home. They came here for a reason. They
came here because they can have better living standards here."

Noting Turkey’s strategic partnership with the US as a NATO member in
the region, Erdoðan told the businessmen at the ABFT event in Ýstanbul
that he thanks them for their efforts to curb the genocide resolution
which would be harmful to Turkish-US Relations. In a letter sent to
members of the US House of Representatives, ABFT urged US congressional
representatives to reconsider the Armenian genocide resolution and work
toward reconciliation efforts between Turkish and Armenian communities.

Representing about 70 US firms operating in Turkey, ABFT said that
the resolution is counterproductive and could set back recent progress
toward reconciliation between Armenians and Turks. ABFT noted that the
murder of Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink last month brought
tens of thousands of people onto the streets in sympathy and protest,
and has compelled the communities to work even harder to achieve
reconciliation, based on inter-communal dialogue.

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