National Public Radio (NPR)
October 11, 2007 Thursday
SHOW: Morning Edition 10:00 AM EST

Turks Protest Genocide Resolution at U.S. Embassy

ANCHORS: DEBORAH AMOS

We turn now to our correspondent in Istanbul, Ivan Watson. Good
morning, Ivan.

IVAN WATSON: Good morning, Deb.

AMOS: The Turkish government lobbied very hard for this including
personal phone calls at the highest level. What’s the reaction to the
vote?

WATSON: Deb, today, a Turkish newspaper had the headline: 27 Dumb
Americans, referring to the 27 congressmen who voted for this
Armenian genocide bill.

This bill comes at a time when the U.S. is at an all-time low in
Turkish public opinion polls largely due to the U.S. prosecution of
the war in neighboring Iraq. Turkish president at midnight last night
called the bill unacceptable. He accused some American politicians of
sacrificing big issues for the, quote, "petty games of domestic
politics." Meanwhile, the Turkish Foreign Ministry has said that
Turkey has been, quote, "accused of something that never happened in
history."

AMOS: This is an issue that’s come up before in American politics.
But it’s never come to a vote. Why is it so sensitive in Turkey? What
– is there an alternative version?

WATSON: Exactly. Well, the Turks really opposed the term genocide.
They concede that large numbers of Armenian Christians were killed in
the final days of the crumbling Ottoman Empire. But they also claimed
that many Ottoman Muslims were killed at that time when the
Armenians, they say, sided with the invading Russian army against the
Ottomans.

The subject is still taboo here. Just two years ago, Turkish Nobel
Prize winning author, Orhan Pamuk, he was taken to court for
insulting Turkishness when he said in an interview that a million
Armenians were killed here and nobody dares to talk about it.

AMOS: Ivan, this all happens at a time of great tension between
Turkey and its neighbor Iraq. Tell us a little bit how this issue
plays into how the Turks see that tension.

WATSON: Well, many Turks think the U.S. hasn’t done enough to stop
Kurdish separatists, known as the PKK, which the U.S. and Turkey both
officially label as terrorists. They operate out of northern Iraq and
Ankara says Washington hasn’t done enough to stop them. And Turkey
has threatened to invade northern Iraq. It’s pushing through for the
strategy right now, preparing to bring that to parliament. It’s going
to be a lot harder now for the U.S. to argue against that because the
atmosphere will definitely be soured between these two NATO allies.

In addition to that, you have the question of Turkey serving as a
major transit hub for U.S. troops and supplies going into Iraq. And
Turkey may cut back on cooperation on access to Turkish air bases and
Turkish territory for troops and supplies going in and out of Iraq.

AMOS: Thank you very much. NPR’s Ivan Watson in Istanbul.