Today’s Zaman, Turkey
March 24 2007

Genocide lobby foiled by presidential election

The presidential elections in Turkey are impeding initiatives to send
another parliamentary delegation to Washington, D.C., to lobby
against the Armenian genocide resolution pending in the US Congress.
Bülent Arýnç, the speaker of the Turkish Parliament, did not approve
a visit by a parliamentary delegation to the US slated for April
14-16 as it would coincide with the presidential elections.

Arýnç stated it would not be proper for any deputy to be abroad in
April due to the presidential elections, a move that received the
support of the Justice and Development Party (AK Party) parliamentary
group. Parliamentary Foreign Affairs Commission chairman Mehmet
Dülger, who was to lead the delegation, said: "We would be in the US
on April 14. Our visit would coincide with the presidential elections
in Turkey. For this reason, Mr. Speaker does not approve of our
visit. We are trying to find a solution, but the prospects of our
visit to the US currently seem dim." Ankara Today’s Zaman