NTV MSNBC, Turkey
Oct 19 2007

Turkish business group lobbies US over Armenian resolution

Passing the resolution will damage relations between the US and
Turkey, the TUSIAD letter said.

Güncelleme: 13:17 TSÝ 19 Ekim 2007 Cuma

ANKARA/WASHINGTON – Turkey’s largest business organisation has called
on the US Congress not to adopt a resolution acknowledging
allegations that the Ottoman Empire massacred many of its Armenian
citizens during World War One.

On Friday, the Turkish Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s Association
(TUSIAD) sent a letter to US congressmen warning that, if adopted,
the resolution passed by the House of Representatives Foreign
Relations Committee could harm ties between Turkey and the US.

TUSIAD also warned that adopting the resolution would undermine
efforts to improve relations between Turkey and Armenia and damage
attempts by Turkey to set up an international committee to study the
events of 1915.

The Turkish business community can not understand why the US
parliament would want to re-write Ottoman history, the letter said.

TUSIAD also said it was regrettable that the Armenian bill arose at a
time when the US administration was not willing to support Turkey’s
fight against terrorist group the PKK.

`We invite the American people, congressmen and the US administration
to help block the arrival of the Armenian bill to the General
Assembly of the US House of Representatives,’ the letter said. `We
also invite the said parties to support with more determination
Turkey’s fight against terrorist organisation the PKK.’