TURKISH FM HOPES U.S. COMMITTEE NOT ADOPT RESOLUTION ON ARMENIAN ALLEGATIONS
Trend
March 4 2010
Azerbaijan
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said that Turkey hoped the
resolution on Armenian allegations related to the incidents of 1915
would not be adopted at the U.S. House of Representatives Committee
on Foreign Affairs during March 4 voting, Anadolu Agency reported.
The U.S. Committee will vote the resolution recognizing the events
of 1915 as "genocide" on March 4, 2010.
Speaking to reporters in Cairo on Wednesday, Davutoglu said that if
the resolution was adopted at the committee, then the U.S.
administration should exert efforts against a voting at U.S. Congress.
Davutoglu said that making such a decision which would disturb a
country –that made great contributions to world and regional peace–
was irrational and illogical. He expressed hope that committee members
would not make such a mistake.
He noted that the U.S. administration knew Turkey’s stance about the
issue very well.
Noting that the congress members, who would vote the resolution,
should make a decision by firstly considering the U.S.-Turkey and
Turkey-Armenia relations, Davutoglu said that voting with political
reasons would harm not only Turkey but also those relations.
Regarding normalization process in Turkey-Armenia relations, Davutoglu
said that the two countries were now in the most comprehensive
cooperation process ever, adding that there were multi dimensional
relations in many platforms.
Noting that Turkey-Armenia relations had been on the best level in the
past one year, Davutoglu said that the two countries signed protocols.
Turkey and Armenia signed two protocols on October 10, 2009 to
normalize relations between the two countries. The protocols envisage
the two countries to establish diplomatic ties and open the border
that has been close since 1993. Turkey and Armenia also agreed to take
steps to operate a sub-commission on impartial scientific examination
of the historical records and archive to define existing problems
and formulate recommendations, in which Armenian, Turkish as well
as Swiss and other international experts would take part. However,
on January 12, 2010, the Constitutional Court of Armenia declared a
decision of constitutional conformity on the protocols. Turkey thought
the fifth article of Armenian Constitutional Court’s verdict regarding
the protocols was against the target and basis of the protocols.
Also, in 2005, Turkey officially proposed to Armenian government the
establishment of a joint commission of history composed of historians
and other experts from both sides to study together the events of
1915 not only in the archives of Turkey and Armenia but also in the
archives of all relevant third countries and to share their findings
with the public.
Foreign Minister Davutoglu is currently in Cairo to hold talks.
Earlier in the day, he made a speech at a meeting of foreign ministers
of the Arab League, and met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.
He also held meetings with Qatar’s Prime Minister & Foreign Minister
Hamad bin Jasim bin Jabir al-Thani, and Syrian Foreign Minister
Walid Mualem.