Anatolia News Agency, Turkey
Oct 12 2007
US secretary of state, Turkish foreign minister discuss Armenian
resolution
Ankara, 12 October: US Secretary of State Condeleezza Rice called
Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan on phone and expressed her
regret over approval of the resolution regarding Armenian allegations
on the incidents of 1915 by the US House of Representatives Committee
on Foreign Affairs.
During the conversation, Rice said that they are against the
resolution, adding that President George W. Bush, Secretary of
Defence Robert Gates and she had done everything they could to
prevent its passage by the committee.
Meanwhile, Babacan expressed Turkish people’s profound sorrow over
the move. "Everyone in Turkey including the president, the prime
minister, ministers, bureaucrats, businessmen, non-governmental
organizations and representatives of minorities expended great
efforts to persuade the US Congress. However, congressmen did not
listen to the Turkish party. An unfair decision was made about
something which has never occurred in our history. This resolution
has made a wound in Turkey-the United States relations that is quite
hard to heal."
"The resolution has also changed Turkish people’s impression about
the United states. Our people considered it an unjust judgment of
American people against themselves. We expect the US administration
to stop this totally baseless judgement. We believe that the US
administration has a great responsibility to this end," he said.
"We deeply regret that even the congressmen who are known with their
attachment to Turkey like Tom Lantos, chairman of the House Committee
on Foreign Affairs, voted in favour of the resolution," Babacan
added.
Rice reiterated that they are against the resolution, and pledged to
do everything in their power to prevent its passage by the full
House.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
