Turan News Agency, Azerbaijan
Oct 11 2007

Azeri chief cleric critical of US draft resolution on Armenian genocide

Azerbaijan’s chief cleric Haci Allahsukur Pasazada has described the
draft resolution on the genocide of Armenians adopted by the US House
of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs as "erroneous", the
Azerbaijani news agency Turan has reported.

He said the adoption of the resolution will have a negative impact on
the image of the United States not only in Turkey, but also in the
whole Islamic world. "The United States will feel that," Turan quoted
the cleric as saying.

On the one hand, the USA is setting up a coalition against
international terrorism, but on the other, it is trying to legally
justify a country that encourages terrorism. In this case, why does
the USA not recognize the genocide in Xocali (massacre of Azeris in
Nagornyy Karabakh in 1992)? Especially as the witnesses of this event
are still alive, the agency quoted him as saying.

Pasazada said that Turkey can take serious measures against the USA
and call on all Muslim states to raise their voice of protest, Turan
reported. This mistake will affect both Afghanistan and Iraq, he
said.

"Before it is too late, President Bush and Congress must eliminate
this mistake and not deepen the abyss with Islamic states," the
agency quoted Pasazada as saying.