U.S. URGES ALLY TURKEY TO JOIN IRAN SANCTIONS PUSH
Andrew Quinn
Reuters
March 17 2010
UK
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The United States urged Turkey on Wednesday to
support more sanctions against Iran over Tehran’s nuclear program,
saying Ankara could face consequences if it moves out of step with
the international community.
Assistant Secretary of State Philip Gordon, the State Department’s top
diplomat for Europe, said U.S.-Turkey relations were strong despite a
row over a resolution by U.S. lawmakers branding the 1915-era killings
of Armenians by Turkish forces as "genocide."
But he said Turkey, a non-permanent member of the U.N. Security
Council that has been leery of the U.S.-led push to further punish
Iran, must show it is "on board" with the move toward new sanctions.
"Many would be disappointed if Turkey is an exception to an
international consensus on dealing with Iran," he told a news briefing
before a speech on U.S. relations with Turkey, a fellow NATO member
and pivotal regional ally to Washington.
"Turkey wants to be an important, responsible actor on the
international scene. And I think joining the majority of the Security
Council in doing this would reinforce that image," Gordon said.
"Not doing so would not contribute to that positive outcome … I
think that’s a consequence."
The United States and other Western powers are seeking support new
U.N. sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program, which they fear is
a cover for developing atomic weapons.
But China, a permanent, veto-wielding member of the Security Council,
along with non-permanent members Turkey and Brazil, have urged more
time for diplomacy with Iran, which insists its nuclear program is
purely for peaceful purposes.
DAMAGE CONTROL
Amid the Iran push, U.S. officials are trying to control the damage
after a House of Representatives committee vote this month on the
non-binding "genocide" resolution over the 1915 killings, a move
which infuriated Turkey.
The House vote appeared to jeopardize halting progress by Armenia
and Turkey to normalize relations, one key to stability in the south
Caucasus, a region crisscrossed by oil and gas pipelines to Europe.
Turkey withdrew its ambassador to Washington and has said he will not
return until Ankara gets assurances about the fate of the resolution,
which the Obama administration opposed.
Gordon repeated the White House’s hope that the resolution would not
move forward in Congress but denied there was any deal with Democratic
lawmakers to kill the bill outright.
"There’s no deal. The Congress is an independent body and they’re
going to do what they decide to do," he said.
But Gordon called on Ankara to return the ambassador anyway, saying the
breadth of the bilateral relationship — which includes cooperation
on Iraq, Iran, Afghanistan and the Middle East — was too important
to link to any one issue.
"We would like to see the ambassador here. We think he should be here,
making Turkey’s case," Gordon said.
He said the relationship was a two-way street and noted that Washington
was a strong supporter of Turkey’s bid to join the European Union,
one of Ankara’s chief goals.
"On nearly every issue that is critical to Turkey’s future, the United
States plays an enormously important role as a trusted friend and
ally," Gordon said. The relationship, he added, "requires hard work
and attention — on both sides."