PREMIER SAYS TURKISH-US TIES AT "CRITICAL JUNCTURE" OVER ARMENIAN RESOLUTION

Anatolia News Agency, Turkey
Oct 19 2007

New York, 19 October: Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan
said that relations between Turkey and the US are now standing at
"a critical juncture" over a bill on Armenian allegations on the
incidents of 1915.

Foreign Affairs Committee with the House of Representatives adopted on
10 October the bill which may as well be brought to the Congressional
floor.

"We are at a critical juncture in our relations. I do hope that common
sense will prevail, as the alternative will not be in the interests
of either the US or Turkey," Erdogan said in an article he wrote for
Friday’s Wall Street Journal.

"Turkey and the US have been friends, partners and allies for
decades. This is a relationship that works for both our great nations
and one that has weathered many a storm and we value this partnership
greatly but under current circumstances, the task of defending its
importance is becoming increasingly hard," Erdogan wrote.

"While Turkey is working together with the US to bring stability
and promote lasting positive change to many troubled geographies,
ranging from Afghanistan to the Balkans and from Lebanon to Iraq –
and while we are under constant attack from PKK [Kurdistan Workers’
Party] terrorism emanating from the north of Iraq, and our public
opinion expects concrete results in our cooperation with the US in
ending the bloodshed – it is impossible to explain how the US Congress
should move to take a decision that is acutely offensive and unjust
to Turks," Erdogan said.

Stating that relations between nations, just like relations between
people, are like spider webs and that they can carry immense loads and
withstand great pressures, Erdogan said if the pressure is severely
applied at just the critical point, the whole web can disintegrate.

"The web of mutual interests that bind our nations together dictates
that we do everything we possibly can to keep it intact at a time
when both sides need each other more than ever," Erdogan said.

"I therefore call upon the representatives of the US people to
demonstrate the statesmanship and vision needed to save the United
States’ time-tested partnership with Turkey from a self-inflicted
shift that is likely to result from the further advancing of House
Resolution 106," he also said.

"In Turkey, we genuinely care about our relations with the US I know
many of our friends in the US care for this relationship too. Let
us not make a mistake that will surely strike a severe blow to a
partnership we have worked so hard together to cultivate."

Erdogan further said the Armenian allegations pertaining to the
events of 1915 have not been historically or legally substantiated,
stressing that if these claims can stand scrutiny and the facts are
as incontestable as Armenian lobbies say, then the question must be
asked as to why this issue has never been taken to international
adjudication as prescribed by the UN Convention on the Prevention
and Punishment of Genocide.

"Maybe more importantly, we must also ask ourselves why the Republic
of Armenia is obstinately evading Turkey’s offer to establish a Joint
History Commission to examine together the events of 1915 through
bilateral dialogue – all the while openly supporting efforts to defame
Turkey," Erdogan said.

"The fact is that, at least in the minds of some, there are gains to
be made by politicizing this sad chapter in history rather than laying
it to rest in a meaningful manner. This is why the matter has become
intractable and this is why it can never be solved by Turkey alone,"
Erdogan noted.

Stressing that Turkey had never been ambivalent about the tragedy
that befell Armenians during World War I, Erdogan said many Turks
also lost their lives during the mutual killings.

"And despite an onslaught of Armenian terror that lasted decades and
took many innocent Turkish lives (including in the US) Turkey has
always been the one extending the olive branch. But while we search
for ways to address this painful issue and develop our relations with
Armenia, we cannot live in the past. Our sincere offer for dialogue
and reconciliation is on the table. It is incumbent on Armenia to
take the next step. We also cannot allow this issue, however painful,
to dim our future."

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress