TURKISH PM SAYS NOT TO SEND BACK AMBASSADOR TO U.S. BEFORE CLEAR RESULTS

Xinhua
March 9 2010
China

ANKARA, March 9 (Xinhua) — Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan said on Tuesday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, that Turkey would
not send back its ambassador to U.S. before seeing clear results,
the semi-official Anatolia news agency reported.

According to the report, Erdogan told reporters in Riyadh that Turkey
is concerned about the U.S. adoption of a resolution labelling the
incidents of 1915 as "genocide," adding that the U.S. was a strategic
ally and partner of Turkey.

Attitude of the U.S. in the next period was very important, Erdogan
said, adding that he did not believe the U.S. would sacrifice its
strategic partner for simple political discussions.

On March 4, Turkey temporarily recalled its ambassador in Washington
D.C. Namik Tan minutes after a U.S. congressional panel approved a
resolution concerning Turkey.

The resolution on Armenian allegations related to the incidents of
1915 was adopted at the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on
Foreign Affairs in a voting of 23-22.

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 which claimed lives of many Turks and
Armenians.

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.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress