Trend, Azerbaijan
March 5 2010

Turkish FM: Country has not yet considers possibility of closing U.S.
military base Incirlik

Although, the U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee
adopted a resolution recognizing the so-called "Armenian genocide",
Ankara has not yet considering closing the U.S. military base Incirlik
in Turkey, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said.

"Every spring we wait the threat of a crisis in the U.S-Turkey
relations with fear," he said. "Yet, we do not consider the closure of
Incirlik military base."

U.S. House Committee on Foreign Affairs on Thursday adopted 23 votes
to 22 a resolution recognizing the so-called "Armenian genocide".

Armenia claims that the Ottoman Empire committed genocide against
Armenians living in Anatolia in 1915. Making greater efforts to
promote the issue internationally, Armenians have achieved its
recognition by parliaments of some countries.

Regarding the U.S government’s position on the issue of the "Armenian
genocide", Davutoglu expressed hope that President Barack Obama will
not recognize it Apr.24.

"Recognition of the so-called "Armenian genocide will have a very
strong negative impact on the further establishment of peace in the
Caucasus", he added.

Turkey calls on Armenia to open all archives and not to exert pressure
through the U.S. Congress, and negotiate face to face, Ahmet Davutoglu
said.

The minister considers erroneous view that the adoption of the
resolution could put pressure on Ankara to ratify the Armenian-Turkish
protocols.

"The fact is that Turkey has taken decision on in this issue for ten
days, Armenia has done for four months," he said.

The intervention of a third party, in this case the U.S., in relations
between Armenia and Turkey, complicates the process of reconciliation
between the countries, he said.

The adoption of a resolution recognizing the "Armenian genocide"
indicates that the U.S Congress is very weak in developing a future
political strategy, the Turkish minister said.