TURKISH PM TO THE U.S CONGRESS: "ARMENIAN GENOCIDE BILL WOULD SHADOW RELATIONS"
Sabah, Turkey
Feb 19 2007
Turkey’s Prime Minister Erdoðan has sent messages to the House
of Representatives in the U.S Congress about the pending Armenian
Genocide bill: "We are not expecting any negative decisions. However,
I have concerns that if you approve the bill, this would shadow the
strategic partnership of Turkey and the US government. For all of
our history, we have never lived and shall not live with such stain."
"Armenian genocide bill would shadow our strategic partnership"
Turkey’s PM has warned the House of Representatives about the bill
which would shadow the strategic partnership of Turkey and America,
if approved.
Prime Minister Erdoðan participated in a gala dinner held for the
American Firms Union in Ankara on Saturday night where he emphasized
the importance of Turkey’s services to the United States within the
framework of NATO.
Stating that both the Minister of Foreign Affairs Gul and the Chief
of General Staff Yaþar Buyukanýt have held meetings with American
authorities about the pending Armenian genocide bill in the U.S Senate,
the PM said: "We do not expect such a decision from the House of
Representatives. I am sure they will not approve such bill.
However, I have worries that such a surprise would shadow our strategic
partnership with the U.S. We, as Turks are exhausted by the lobbies
made by the Armenian Diaspora. But it is obvious that they will never
give up. They seem to be taking great pleasure form doing this. What
we are saying is that it is a historian’s job to decide whether
there was a genocide or not. No one has the right to defame Turkey
via political lobbies. We have never lived with a stain throughout
our history and we shall not live with such stain."
–Boundary_(ID_W4TG1bw0+jkvTI9S4eyFL g)–