TURKEY TO RETURN ENVOY TO WASHINGTON

United Press International UPI
April 1 2010

ANKARA, Turkey, April 1 (UPI) — Ankara said it was likely to return
its ambassador to Washington before Turkish leaders arrive April 12
for an international nuclear summit.

Diplomatic sources told the Turkish daily newspaper Hurriyet that
Ambassador Namik Tan was set to return to Washington following in-depth
negotiations between U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu last weekend.

Ankara recalled Tan in protest of a U.S. House of Representatives
resolution passed March 4 that classifies the 1915 killings of
Armenians by the Ottoman Empire an act of genocide.

Ankara said the classification wasn’t something for U.S. lawmakers
to decide. Ankara warned that the passage of the resolution could
undercut support for the U.S. war efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

A push to sanction Tehran for its controversial nuclear program was
at risk from the Armenia resolution, Ankara added.

U.S. State Department officials said Monday they understood why Ankara
recalled Tan, hoped for a quick return when "Turkey feels comfortable."

The report from Hurriyet added Davutoglu is expected to accompany
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to the April12 nuclear
summit in Washington.