DAVUTOGLU: US INTERFERENCE COMPLICATED THE NORMALIZATION PROCESS

14:29:25 – 05/03/2010
ahos17061.html

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 DavutoÄ?lu 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,’ DavutoÄ?lu 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.

DavutoÄ?lu 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?” DavutoÄ?lu asked. `Because
if you don’t then come out and say so we can align our policy
accordingly.’ Hurryiet daily news reports.