Bush opposes recognition of ‘Armenian genocide’

Compiled by Daily Star staff
Saturday, October 06, 2007

US President George W. Bush Friday opposed moves to legally term the
deaths of hundreds of thousands of Armenians during the Turkish
Ottoman Empire a "genocide," backing Turkey’s stand on the issue.
Turkish Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned Bush that ties between the
two countries would be hurt if the US Congress passed a bill branding
the 1915 mass killing of Armenians by Ottoman Turks "genocide,"
Turkish television reported on Friday.

Erdogan, who issued a similar warning earlier this year, made the
comment in a phone call to Bush, news channels CNN Turk and NTV
reported.

"The president has described the events of 1915 as ‘one of the
greatest tragedies of the 20th century,’ but believes the
determination of whether or not the events constitute a genocide
should be a matter for historical inquiry, not legislation," said
White House spokesman Gordon Johndroe. "The president reiterated his
opposition to this resolution, the passage of which would be harmful
to US ties with Turkey," Johndore said.

While the Bush administration opposes the resolution on the events in
1915 as the Ottoman Empire broke apart, the US Congress is now
dominated by the Democratic Party and has become more influenced by
the Armenian diaspora.

Turkey is a key NATO ally of Washington and a moderate Muslim country
whose support it needs in the region as it fights Iraqi insurgents and
confronts Iran over its nuclear program.

A senior Turkish MP has also warned previously that Ankara could
consider restricting the US military’s use of Incirlik air base, a
logistics hub for the Middle East, if the bill is passed.

Turkey has already sent delegations to the United States in a bid to
halt the resolution.

Turkish media reported Friday that the bill would be taken up by
Congress’ Foreign Relations Committee on October 10.

Turkey denies that a systematic genocide of Armenians took place,
saying large numbers of Christian Armenians and Muslim Turks died in
inter-ethnic fighting during World War I. – Agencies

Tags: Armenia, Bill, Bush, Congress, Fight, Muslim, Oman, Resolution,
Turkey, Turks, War

Source: =10&categ_id=2&article_id=85815

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress