RICE AND GATES WRITE JOINT LETTER TO US HOUSE WARNING ON THE ARMENIAN BILL

Hurriyet, Turkey
March 14 2007

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Robert
Gates have written a joint letter to the US House of Representatives
warning of possible serious consequences to the passage of the
so-called Armenian genocide bill.

According to reports, the letter, which carries the signatures of
both Gates and Rice, was sent to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Minority
Leader John Boehner, and Tom Lantos, the head of the House Foreign
Relations Committee.

Rice and Gates warn in their letter that Turkish-American relations
could be deeply harmed by the passage of the bill, and that US
interests will also be damaged. The Armenian bill was presented to
the House at the end of January, and it is still not known exactly
when it will stand for debate and possible approval.