GENOCIDE RESOLUTION WILL HARM NORMALIZATION WITH ARMENIA, ANKARA WARNS

Hurriyet
Feb 18 2010
Turkey

Passage of the Armenian genocide resolution by a U.S. congressional
panel early next month would hinder normalization efforts with Armenia,
Turkey warned Thursday.

Speaking to reporters following a joint press conference with Burkina
Faso Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Cooperation Bedouma
Alain Yoda, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said the issue
was taken up in detail during Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Feridun
Sinirlioglu’s meetings in Washington this week.

"We are exerting efforts for a comprehensive peace in the Caucasus,"
said Davutoglu, referring to Turkey’s initiative to normalize ties
with Armenia. He warned, however, that attempts such as passing a
genocide resolution would harm this objective and called for such
initiatives to come to a halt, within reasonable limits.

The issue was also discussed during Davutoglu’s telephone conversation
with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, according to diplomatic
sources who said Washington was informed of the resolution’s potential
to harm bilateral relations with the United States.