Adnkronos International Italia, Italy
Oct 12 2007

US: Turkey recalls ambassador over Armenian genocide vote

Washington, 12 Oct. (AKI) – In protest at a vote by US legislators
this week to label the 1915-1917 mass killings of Armenians as
"genocide", Turkey is recalling its ambassador to Washington, Nabi
Sensoy, for consultations.

`This is a normal affair, especially after certain important
developments take place’ said Sensoy.

He described as "one sided" the resolution passed by a vote of 27 to
21 in the House of Representatives foreign affairs committee on
Wednesday.

`People think it is only the Armenians who perished during the events
of 1915. They forget that hundreds of thousands of Turks also
perished at the hand of the Armenians,’ Sensoy said.

A foreign ministry spokesman said Sensoy was expected to stay "a week
to 10 days" in the Turkish capital, Ankara.

A visit by Turkey’s naval chief to the US has also been cancelled.

Prime minister Tayip Erdogan, said that the Turkish government would
concentrate its efforts to stop the non-binding vote passed by the
Congressional committee being endorsed next month in the full House.

House speaker Nancy Pelosi has said the vote will take place before
22 November.

`We have steps to take afterwards, however we will not announce these
today,’ said Erdogan.

Turkey is a regional operational hub for the US military, and some
suggest access to Incirlik airbase or other supply lines crucial to
US forces in Iraq and Afghanistan could be affected by the row.

Wednesday’s vote has been welcomed by Armenian president Robert
Kocharyan, who said he hoped for "full [US] recognition… of the
genocide."