Vatan, Turkey
Oct 11 2007

Turkish paper reports on Foreign Ministry reaction to Armenian
resolution

Egemen Bagis, AKP [Justice and Development Party] Deputy General
Chairman with responsibility for foreign affairs, said that US
democracy was hurt by the decision [of the Foreign Affairs Committee
of the US House of Representatives to approve HR 106 on the Armenian
genocide]. He added: "The Armenian lobby in the United States may
have gained a position for now, but it has lost the war."

Bagis issued a statement following the approval of the so-called
Armenian genocide bill by the House Foreign Affairs Committee, with a
vote of 27 to 21, for submission to the full House. Bagis issued his
statement in the United States where he is on an official visit.
Expressing deep regret over the passage of the bill, Bagis said:
"Everything is not over yet. We will now work to prevent the bill
from reaching the floor of the House and to prevent its passage in
the House if it reaches there. This bill belongs not to the general
floor of the US Congress but the trash can in the corner."

US-Turkish relations mortgaged needlessly

Bagis continued: "Turkish-American relations have been needlessly
mortgaged at this sensitive time in the Middle East and Eurasia. This
decision has generated deep disappointment among the Turkish people.
We are extremely disappointed that the legislative organ of the
United States, which we describe as a friend and an ally, has
embarked on a process of approving this bill. Turkey is no longer the
reticent country of the past that watches developments from a
distance. Turkey is now a regional power and will never allow any
injustice. All members of our government, especially our Prime
Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, President Abdullah Gul, National
Assembly President Koksal Toptan, Foreign Minister Ali Babacan, and
Minister of Defence Vecdi Gonul, have worked very hard on this issue.
Our commanders have also made contacts. Our embassy, diplomats,
businessmen, and Turkish residents of the United States worked hand
in hand and in solidarity to do everything they could to stop this
indecent and unethical attack on our Turkey."

Armenian lobby lost war

Charging that the decision hurts US democracy, Bagis said: "The
Armenian lobby in the United States may have gained a position for
now, but they have lost the war. This bill does not help Yerevan in
any way. The Armenian lobby has jeopardized Turkish-US relations to
serve its own narrow fanaticism. This lobby, though comprised of US
citizens, has directly harmed US interests. We do not remember any
other incident in which US democracy was so badly abused to serve
selfish ethnic fanaticism. We have seen that the Committee approved
the resolution with only a small margin despite the intensive efforts
of the Bush Administration and personal intervention of President
Bush. It is evident that the Democratic Party, which is majority
party in Congress, is using this bill to put President Bush and the
Republican Party in a difficult position in the Middle East and
Eurasia. The Democrats are trying to drag the Bush Administration
into failure in Iraq by spoiling relations between Turkey and the
United States. It is sad that this bill and Turkey are subjected to
such calculations."

PKK bullets, bombs

Bagis concluded: "The US Congress has taken this unfortunate step.
However, the US Administration, the White House, the State
Department, and the Pentagon can still take steps to protect
relations with Turkey. The US Administration can still take important
steps for the Turkish people in the battle against PKK [Kurdistan
Workers’ Party] terrorism. This is what we ask of the Administration.
In any event, this bill is a document that does not have any chance
of being implemented. In the meantime, steps that can revive and
strengthen Turkish-US relations have not been exhausted. We demand
that the United States take urgent, effective, and resolute steps in
the battle against the PKK. It is PKK bullets and bombs that are
hitting us, not pieces of paper on which certain resolutions are
written."

Foreign Ministry: regret, condemnation

The government expressed regret and condemned the approval by the
House Foreign Affairs Committee of a bill that contains Armenian
allegations related to the 1915 events.

A Foreign Ministry statement issued on behalf of the government says:
"A committee of the House of Representatives has acted irresponsibly
by advancing this bill, which will strain relations with a friendly
and allied country and a strategic partnership that has been built
carefully over many generations at an extremely sensitive juncture in
time."

The statement notes that the Foreign Affairs Committee of the US
House of Representatives approved with a vote of 27 to 21 House
Resolution 106, which describes as "genocide" the decision of the
Ottoman Empire to deport some of its Armenian subjects for
collaborating with occupation forces in 1915. The statement
continues: "The nature of the 1915 events continue to be debated.
Contrary to Armenian allegations, several internationally renowned
historians have described the deportation action taken during that
period as a wartime measure implemented in the conditions of World
War I.

"It is clear that the Foreign Affairs Committee of the House of
Representatives has no power or authority to rewrite history in a
twisted form in connection with an issue that concerns only the
shared history of Turks and Armenians. The responsibility parliaments
is to ensure improved ties among peoples and to look at the future,
not the past. Our country has argued for years that the disputed
periods of history must be evaluated by historians, not legislative
bodies. In 2005, we called upon Armenia to allow the examination of
disputed periods of our history by Turkish, Armenian, and if
necessary third-country historians on the basis of indisputable
archives. That appeal remains a manifestation of the approach taken
by our country to this day. Armenia has still not given a positive
response to this proposal, which envisions to resolve differences of
perception between the two countries over the events of 1915 through
candid and open dialogue. It is highly unfortunate that the Foreign
Affairs Committee of the House of Representatives of our ally, the
United States, has passed this resolution at a time when this
proposal is still on the table.

"We also note that, rather than accepting our sincere proposal,
Armenia has pursued a purposeful agenda to have this resolution
approved, initially behind the scenes and later more openly."

Stating that "our government greets this decision with regret and
condemns it," the statement says it is impossible for the Turkish
nation to accept an accusation for a crime it has never committed in
its history.

The statement notes that top officials of the US Administration as
well as a large number of prominent, experienced, and knowledgeable
personalities opposed the resolution and campaigned intensively
against it. It adds: "Even so, the resolution was put to a vote and
approved. Those who voted in favour of the resolution and those who
exhorted them to vote this way will be accountable before history."

The government statement continues: "A committee of the House of
Representatives has acted irresponsibly by advancing this bill, which
will strain relations with a friendly and allied country and a
strategic partnership that has been built carefully over many
generations at an extremely sensitive juncture in time."

"We still hope that the House of Representatives will be sensible
with regard to taking the resolution beyond where it is now. The
historic responsibility that is incumbent upon all House members and
especially the Speaker of the House is obvious.

"Every effort will be made to ensure that the resolution is not
approved on the floor of the House of Representatives."