ARMENIAN BILL SPARKS HIGH LEVEL MILITARY PHONE TRAFFIC

Hurriyet, Turkey
Oct 15 2007

The new US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Michael
Mullen, has reportedly called his Turkish counterpart, General Yasar
Buyukanit, to discuss the possible effects on Turkish-US relations
from the proposed Armenian bill before the US Congress.

Admiral Mullen told General Yasarbuyukanit that the Pentagon was
working hard to let the US Congress know that the possible limitations
on US use of Turkey’s Incirlik Air Force base would have potentially
serious effects for the US efforts in Iraq. General Buyukanit has
already noted that in the event of the passage of the Armenian
bill, "Our military relations with the US will not be the same as
before." Currently, up to 70% of the air cargo entering Iraq from
the US comes through Turkey, as does 30% of the fuel used by US troops.

The Armenian bill is expected to face a vote in the House of
Representatives before November 22.