BAGIS DISSAPPOINTED BY THE VOTE

Turkish Press
Oct 11 2007

WASHÝNGTON D.C. – Justice & Development (AK) Party Deputy Chairman
Egemen Bagis said that Turkey will continue to exert efforts to avert
the bill to be put on vote at the U.S. House of Representatives.

The U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee passed the bill on Wednesday
by a 27-21 vote. The bill is expected to be debated by the full House
as a next step.

Bagis, who travelled to Washington D.C. to lobby against the
resolution, said they were disappointed by the vote.

"But nothing is over yet," Bagis told the A.A, and added that they
will continue to exert efforts to avert the bill to be voted by the
House. "Because it belongs to the garbage can," reaffirmed Bagis,
PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s foreign policy adviser.

"In case of a mistake despite all these, it will be United States’
problem, rather than Turkey’s. Americans will have to correct that
mistake," he said.

"Turkey’s priority is to eliminate the trouble caused by the terrorist
organization PKK. United States must take steps regarding this issue
and offer something concrete in fight against terrorism," he added.

"Turkey is not a country that creeps into its skin as it was in
the past. Turkey is now a regional power and will never let wrongs
happen. This resolution will not be helpful to Yerevan. Armenian
lobby jeopardized Turkish-American relations for the sake of their
narrow fanaticism. This lobby, which is composed of American citizens,
harmed U.S. interests. They exploited American democracy," Bagis said.

"However, Bush administration, the White House, the U.S. Department of
State and the Pentagon have still important steps to take to safeguard
relations with Turkey. United States must take steps to counter PKK
terrorism. We demand that," he added.

–Boundary_(ID_7U4Gwg8oxcBc6hDL6qxziA)–