Anatolia News Agency
March 22 2007

Turkish Speaker’s letter to US Speaker says Armenian bill will damage
relations

Ankara, 22 March: Turkish Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc sent a
letter to the US House of Representatives Speaker, Nancy Pelosi,
expressing (Turkey’s) concerns over the resolution on so-called
Armenian genocide submitted to the House of Representatives.

In his letter, Arinc noted that there have been sound friendly
relations between Turkey and the United States for more than half
century, stressing that Strategic Vision Document, which was approved
last year, was the most concrete expression of common values and
ideals shared by the two countries.

"Global developments have made bilateral cooperation and strategic
partnership (between the two countries) indispensable," he
emphasized.

"On the other hand, I would like to express our concerns over a
resolution which was submitted on 30th January 2007 to the US House
of Representatives to support Armenian allegations on 1915
incidents," Arinc noted.

Stating that if the resolution is approved, it will also be announced
in a way that baseless allegations on 1915 incidents are also
"recognized by the United States", Arinc said, "Such a development
will deeply damage bilateral relations between Turkey and the United
States."

Arinc underlined that parliaments, peoples and countries should act
with an understanding of boosting friendship, peace and prosperity,
recalling that Turkey supported all efforts for neutral researches.

Parliament Speaker Arinc reminded that 69 American historians and
academicians issued a statement in 1985 which stressed that Armenian
allegations were unacceptable.

"The incidents of 1915 have been discussed freely and historians are
encouraged to conduct study in regard to this matter in Turkey," he
noted.