PHILIP GORDON: ARMENIAN GENOCIDE RESOLUTION COULD FORWARD

Armradio.am
18.03.2010 11:41

A congressional resolution that would recognize World War I-era
killings of Armenians by Ottoman Turks as genocide could go forward
despite opposition from the Obama administration.

Assistant Secretary of State Philip Gordon told reporters there is
no deal with Democratic congressional leaders to block the resolution.

That contradicts earlier claims by the State Department.

"Congress is an independent body, and they are going to do what
they decide to do," Gordon said ahead of speech at the Brookings
Institution.

Gordon acknowledged the congressional committee vote had set back
relations at a time when the United States is seeking help from
Turkey to rein in Iran’s nuclear ambitions. But he said the United
States has not seen a deterioration in cooperation with Turkey on a
wide range of foreign policy matters.

Gordon said the resolution is an obstacle for reconciliation talks
between Turkey and Armenia. But Gordon denied the process had stalled.

"I really think that those two countries’ leaderships are committed
to doing this," he told reporters, AP reports.