Euronews.net, France
Oct 12 2007
Turkey signals response to Armenian genocide vote
A Turkish offensive into Iraq appears more likely after a US
Congressional vote recognising the 1915 mass killings of Armenians as
genocide. The resolution outraged Ankara and Turkish Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan has said his country would respond, though he
did not specify how. Turkey has been amassing troops on the border
with Iraq to combat attacks by Kurdish rebels based there.
But the US, for whom Turkey is a crucial regional ally, is deeply
opposed to any cross border operations, saying they would further
destabilise the situation in Iraq. Next week the Turkish parliament
is to vote on a request by the government to allow an operation in
Iraq. That would set Washington and Ankara on a collision course.
A statement by Erdogan that Turkey would be prepared to pay the price
of a military campaign in Iraq has raised the stakes. But despite
anger over the genocide vote analysts believe the Turks may give
diplomacy more time to work before launching a strike.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress