Belfast Telegraph , Ireland (UK)
March 6 2010

Angry Turkey pushes on with Armenia diplomacy

Saturday, 6 March 2010

Turkey said yesterday it would push on with efforts to normalise ties
with Armenia despite a US congressional panel vote labelling as
genocide the mass killing of Armenians by Ottoman Turks in 1915.

Turkish leaders reacted with fury over the approval of the non-binding
resolution by the US House of Representatives Foreign Affairs
Committee.

Although it was unclear whether the bill would be considered by the
full House, President Abdullah Gul, whose visit to Armenia in 2008 led
to the peace initiative, said the US vote would hurt efforts to bring
peace and stability to the South Caucasus, a volatile region with
pipelines taking oil and gas to the West. Foreign Minister Ahmet
Davutoglu said the US action had jeopardised chances of Turkey’s
parliament ratifying peace accords with Armenia, but that the
government would push on with efforts to resolve disputes with its old
foe.

`We are determined to press ahead with normalisation of relations with
Armenia,’ Davutoglu told a news conference hours after Turkey recalled
its ambassador from Washington.

Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan has warned of possible damage to
relations with the United States because of the vote.

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