PanARMENIAN.Net

Obama may speak in Turkish parliament
13.03.2009 23:25 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Obama is scheduled to visit Turkey on April 5 during
his first visit as president to a Muslim nation. Parliament Speaker
Koksal Toptan told reporters that lawmakers want Obama to give a
speech to legislators and to the Turkish people from the rostrum of
Parliament.

The invasion of Iraq has strained the long friendship between the
U.S. and Turkey ‘ close NATO allies ‘ and Obama’s visit would mark an
improvement in ties with Turkey, which is critical to aiding the
U.S. pullout from Iraq and turning around the war in Afghanistan.

However, Obama could jeopardize relations unless he breaks a campaign
promise to describe the killings of Armenians by Ottoman Turks as
"genocide."

Such a declaration would infuriate Turkey, which could respond by
withholding cooperation and complicate U.S. military operations in the
region.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress