TURKISH FM FOCUSES ON ARMENIAN PROTOCOLS IN RESPONSE TO ‘GENOCIDE’ VOTE

Hurriyet
March 5 2010
Turkey

Turkey’s foreign minister on Friday demanded a clear stance from the
United States on the Turkish-Armenian normalization process after a
congressional panel approved an Armenian "genocide" resolution.

"We don’t want to go through this crisis every spring," Turkish
Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said in a press conference Friday.

"That is why we introduced the normalization of the relationship
with Armenia. We thought that this would begin to settle things,
and we really did not expect this kind of backlash."

The U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs
passed a resolution calling for the U.S. administration’s official
recognition of the killings of Armenians in 1915 during the Ottoman
Empire as genocide.

"It made Turkey uncomfortable that the U.S. administration did not
show its strength in this regard," Davutoglu said. "We’re expecting
them to increase their efforts hereafter."

"We will not be pressured by these decisions," he added

"It is not for other parliaments to judge our history. Turkey is
capable of dealing with these issues alone. It is a matter of national
honor," he said.

Davutoglu said Turkey’s aim was to improve relations with Armenia,
and normalize the relationships between Turks and Armenians. He asked
for support to create a stable Caucasus region and a long-term vision
for peace.

"I know Obama has a vision of peace," he said. "We also expect Obama
not to perpetuate or exaggerate this crisis in April."

Obama is expected to make a speech to the American Armenian community
on April 24. On that date last year, Obama effectively avoided the
confrontation by replacing the term "genocide" with the Armenian word
for great tragedy.

"The question to America is simple: ‘Do you or do you not support the
peace process between Turkey and Armenia?’" Davutoglu asked. "Because
if you don’t then come out and say so we can align our policy
accordingly."