Hurriyet, Turkey
March 6 2010

Turkish Ambassador to US back in Turkey following "genocide" recognition

Saturday, March 6, 2010
ISTANBUL – Daily News with wires

Turkey’s Ambassador to Washington D.C. Namık Tan arrived in Istanbul
on Saturday after being recalled to Turkey for consultations following
the decision of a U.S. congressional panel approving a resolution on
Armenian allegations regarding the incidents of 1915.

The resolution calling the events of 1915 a genocide passed the House
of Representatives Committee on Foreign Affairs in a 23-22 vote on
Thursday.

Tan made a short statement to reporters after his arrival. "As you
know I have been recalled for consultations," he said. He will meet
with officials, including the president, prime minister and foreign
affairs ministers, for consultations, Tan said. "After the
consultations, I will return when it is deemed fit," he said. Tan
landed in Istanbul and is expected to go to Ankara.

Shortly after the measure passed the committee voting, the Turkish
government said in a statement that Ambassador Namık Tan was being
recalled to Ankara for consultations.

"We condemn this resolution which charges the Turkish nation with a
crime that it did not commit," the statement said.

Turkish government also expressed concern that the non-binding
resolution could damage Turkish-U.S. relations and efforts to
normalize relations between Turkey and Armenia.

Turkey and Armenia signed two protocols last October to normalize
relations, however, parliaments of the two countries have not passed
them yet.

Turkey strongly rejects genocide allegations and regards the events as
civil strife in wartime that claimed the lives of many Turks and
Armenians.