BUSH REITERATES TO TURKISH PRESIDENT HIS OPPOSITION TO CONGRESS’ ARMENIAN GENOCIDE MEASURE

Associated Press
Oct 5 2007

WASHINGTON (AP) – President George W. Bush told the Turkish prime
minister on Friday that he strongly opposes a resolution in Congress
that labels the World War I-era deaths of up to 1.5 million Armenians
genocide.

Bush and Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan talked by telephone about
the legislation, which is to go before the House of Representatives
Foreign Affairs Committee on Wednesday. It is expected to be approved.

Gordon Johndroe, a White House spokesman, said Bush "reiterated his
opposition to this resolution, the passage of which would be harmful
to U.S. relations with Turkey.

The Armenians, a minority in Ottoman Turkey, died from 1915 to 1923 as
the Ottoman Empire disintegrated. Many Armenians insist the deaths was
genocide planned and carried out by Turks. Turkey contends that the
Armenians were victims of widespread chaos and governmental breakdown
as the 600-year-old empire collapsed.