Xinhua, China
March 5 2010

U.S. "genocide" resolution casts shadow over Turkey- Armenia
normalization process

ANKARA, March 5 (Xinhua) — A U.S. congressional panel’s decision on
Thursday to recognize the killings of Armenians by Ottoman Turks as
"genocide" has riled Turkey and cast a shadow over the ongoing
normalization process between Turkey and Armenia.

The U.S. move not only risked slowing down but also could completely
jeopardize the Turkish-Armenian peace process, Turkish Foreign
Minister Ahmet Davutoglu told reporters Friday.

He criticized the U.S. administration for not showing enough strength
in handling the issue and urged the White House to make more efforts
to prevent acts that could hamper the normalization process between
Turkey and Armenia, local newspaper Hurriyet Daily News reported on
its website.

Turkey temporarily recalled its ambassador to the United States for
consultations on Thursday minutes after the U.S. House of
Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee approved a resolution to
label the massive deaths of Armenians under Ottoman rule during World
War I as "genocide."

The ambassador will return to Ankara to discuss Turkey’s possible
reactions to the resolution and measures to be taken regarding its
relations with the United States, Davutoglu was quoted by the
semi-official Anatolia news agency as saying at a press conference.

Turkey and Armenia have been bogged down in the row over the deaths of
Armenians and have no diplomatic or economic ties since Armenia
declared its independence in 1991.

In October, the two countries signed historic deals on normalizing
ties and reopening their borders after decades of hostilities. The
agreements need to be ratified by both countries’ parliaments before
taking effect.

Those who argued that the adoption of the U.S. resolution would
pressurize the Turkish Parliament to approve the protocols were dead
wrong, said Davutoglu.

"Turkey did not make foreign policy decisions under pressure," he was
quoted by Anatolia as saying.

Turkish Prime Ministry on Thursday condemned the House panel’s move
and expressed concerns that the non-binding resolution could damage
Turkish-U.S. relations and efforts to normalize relations between
Turkey and Armenia.

Meanwhile, Turkish President Abdullah Gul said in a statement Friday
"Turkey will not be responsible for negative outcomes of this voting."

Davutoglu on Friday reiterated Turkey’s goal to normalize relations
with Armenia but urged for a clear stance from the U.S. on the
process.

"The question to America is simple: ‘Do you or do you not support the
peace process between Turkey and Armenia?’" Davutoglu was quoted by
Hurriyet Daily News as saying. "Because if you don’ t, then come out
and say it, so we can align our policy accordingly."

He urged U.S. President Barack Obama "not to perpetuate or exaggerate
this crisis" in April, when Obama is expected to make a speech to the
American Armenian community.

In last year’s speech, Obama avoided using the term "genocide" when
describing the Armenians’ deaths and welcomed Turkish- Armenian peace
talks.

The U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Wednesday called Howard
Berman, chairman of House Committee on Foreign Affairs, arguing a vote
on the "genocide" resolution could harm Turkish- Armenian peace
efforts, according to the White House. However, Berman pressed ahead
with the vote and the resolution was passed by a 23-22 margin.

A similar resolution was adopted by the same panel in 2007 but was not
brought to the House because of opposition from former President
George W. Bush.

A predominantly Muslim country, Turkey is a NATO member and viewed as
a key U.S. ally in issues in the Middle East.

Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian hailed the approval of the
resolution in a statement released Friday, saying it was an important
step towards the prevention of crimes against humanity.

Armenians say more than 1.5 million Armenians were killed in a
systematic genocide in the hands of the Ottomans during World War I.

Turkey argues the death toll is exaggerated and insists the Armenians
were victims of widespread chaos and governmental breakdown as the
Ottoman Empire collapsed in the years before modern Turkey was born in
1923.

orld/2010-03/05/c_13198949.htm