Anadolu Agency, Turkey
March 11 2010

Turkish minister says US Armenian vote "unethical"

Dublin, 11 March: Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on
Thursday [11 March] that the EU needed Turkey in foreign policy.

On the second day of his formal visit to Ireland, Davutoglu delivered
a speech at the University College, Dublin, and stressed the
importance of relations between Turkey and Ireland.

Davutoglu also said that multiculturalism was important while guiding
the history.

Regarding Turkey-EU relations, Davutoglu said that questioning
Turkey’s EU membership and presenting different suggestions such as
privileged partnership were not right.

Noting that Turkey had a control over regional issues, Davutoglu said,
"Actually I think the EU needs Turkey – not Turkey needed EU – in
foreign policy."

Upon a question about 1915 incidents, Davutoglu said that Turkey was
ready to share the pain and reach a consensus but it was against to be
blamed.

Stressing that the voting (on Armenian allegations about 1915
incidents) at US House of Representatives Committee of Foreign Affairs
was unethical, Davutoglu said that the history should not be judged
like this.

Davutoglu recalled that there had been no tension throughout the
period Turks and Armenians lived together.