Agence France Presse — English
October 17, 2007 Wednesday 9:50 PM GMT

Support flagging for ‘genocide’ resolution

by Marie Sanz

US Congressional support flagged Wednesday for a resolution calling
the World War I massacre of Armenians by Ottoman Turks "genocide"
amid concern over Turkey’s threat to cut off support for the Iraq
war.

In apparent retreat from their initial stance, a group of Democrats
in the House of Representatives, including the influential John
Murtha, said they would "very vigorously" oppose the measure cleared
last week by a committee.

"If voted today it would not pass on the floor," Murtha said.

Anger is brewing in Turkey over the US "genocide" resolution, which
Ankara deems unacceptable. Turkey recalled its ambassador to
Washington and has threatened to cut off logistical support of US-led
war efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In a bid to calm tensions, President George W. Bush has urged Turkey
not to carry out cross-border strikes on Kurdish rebels in Iraq —
advice shrugged off by lawmakers in Ankara who greenlighted such
attacks — and called on Democrats to abandon the "genocide" measure.

"What happened nearly 100 years ago was terrible; the point is we
have to deal with today’s world," Murtha told a news conference.

"Turkey is a strong ally of the US and I believe that this resolution
could harm our relations with (them), and therefore our strategic
interests in the region," added the Pennsylvania representative.

The lawmakers’ about-face was welcomed by the State Department.

"I am pleased to note that over the last 24 hours … there have been
a number of members of Congress who have now come out and publicly
stated that they have changed their view and would no longer be
supporting this resolution," spokesman Tom Casey said Wednesday.

Earlier, Bush once more came out against the resolution.

"Congress has more important work to do than antagonizing a
democratic ally in the Muslim world, especially one that’s providing
vital support for our military every day," Bush told reporters,
calling the proposed measure "counterproductive."

The bill brands as a genocide the 1915 massacre of more than 1.5
million Armenians under Turkey’s Ottoman Empire. Turkey believes
fewer Armenians were killed — 250,000-500,000 — and strongly
rejects the notion that it was genocide.

Democrat Alcee Hastings, who heads the House committee on
Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe, said Turkey was
a "key strategic ally" and a "moderate Muslim country."

A vote on the controversial measure comes at a "critical time for our
men and women in uniform in the region, and for the stability of the
Middle East."

Officials from both Turkey and the White House over the past few days
have lobbied members of Congress to oppose a vote on the resolution,
which is expected next month.

The New York Times said Wednesday that former Republican lawmaker
Robert Livingston, 64, has become Turkey’s chief lobbyist in the US
Congress — for a fee of more than 12 million dollars.

House speaker Nancy Pelosi has yet to respond to her colleagues’
pressure, but last week made it quite clear she intends to bring the
genocide resolution to a vote, brushing aside urgings to the contrary
from Bush, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary
Robert Gates.

The resolution, should it prosper, is non-binding and would impose no
obligation on the White House.