US VOTE ATTACKS TURKEY ‘GENOCIDE’

BBC NEWS
mericas/8550765.stm
2010/03/04 20:56:01 GMT

A US congressional panel has described the killing of Armenians by
Turkish forces during World War I as genocide, despite White House
objections.

The resolution was narrowly approved by the House Foreign Affairs
Committee.

The administration had warned the panel that the vote would harm
reconciliation talks between Turkey and Armenia.

It is unclear whether the non-binding resolution will now go forward
to the full House but it is fiercely opposed by Turkey, a key ally
of the US.

It was approved by 23 votes to 22 by the committee.

In 2007, a similar resolution passed the committee stage, but was
shelved before a House vote after pressure from the George W Bush
administration.

Turkey had warned of consequences for US-Turkey ties if the latest
resolution was passed.