EuroNews – English Version
October 11, 2007

Turks react in anger to US Armenian genocide vote

The US has lost crucial support in key ally Turkey over a vote to
call the 1915 mass killings of Armenians genocide. There were
protests in Istanbul and Turkey against the resolution approved by a
US congressional committee.

The demonstrations were organised by the Labour party and were
relatively small but highlighted the anger of many Turks on the
issue.

The Turkish government has also condemned the vote, which went
against the wishes of the White House.

Turkey rejects the Armenian position that 1.5 million people were
killed in a systematic genocide as the Ottoman Empire collapsed at
the end of World War One.

Turks say it was an inter-ethnic conflict and that there were victims
on both sides.

On the streets their anger against the vote was clear.

"The United States is the last country to say anything about issue.
They to look at their own disasters first, and their own genocides –
there’s no Native American race left," said one man.

"I’ve never seen the US as friendly. They pretend to be, but it’s
only for their own benefit," said another.