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TURKEY URGES U.S. TO REJECT RESOLUTION ON ARMENIAN "GENOCIDE"
Xinhua
March 1 2010
China
ANKARA, March 1 (Xinhua) -- Turkey Monday urged a U.S. House of
Representatives panel to reject a resolution that would recognize
the massive death of Armenians during the World War I as genocide,
semi-official Anatolia news agency reported.
Such a resolution would hurt Turkish-U.S. relations and undermine
efforts to normalize relations between Turkey and Armenia, Burak
Ozugergin, spokesman of Turkey's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was
quoted as saying.
The resolution, which would be discussed by the Foreign Affairs
Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives Thursday, supported
baseless allegations of "genocide", Ozugergin added.
He called on the panel members to "act with a sense of responsibility,"
according to the agency.
Armenia has pushed for international recognition of the death
of Armenians under Ottoman rule as a genocide. Turkey denies that
charge and insists the Armenians were victims of widespread chaos and
governmental breakdown as the Ottoman Empire collapsed before modern
Turkey was born in 1923.
The two countries have no diplomatic or economic ties since Armenia
declared its independence in 1991. Last October, Turkey and Armenia
inked historic deals on normalizing ties and reopening their borders
after decades-old hostilities.
The agreements need to be ratified by both countries' parliaments
before taking effect.
Xinhua
March 1 2010
China
ANKARA, March 1 (Xinhua) -- Turkey Monday urged a U.S. House of
Representatives panel to reject a resolution that would recognize
the massive death of Armenians during the World War I as genocide,
semi-official Anatolia news agency reported.
Such a resolution would hurt Turkish-U.S. relations and undermine
efforts to normalize relations between Turkey and Armenia, Burak
Ozugergin, spokesman of Turkey's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was
quoted as saying.
The resolution, which would be discussed by the Foreign Affairs
Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives Thursday, supported
baseless allegations of "genocide", Ozugergin added.
He called on the panel members to "act with a sense of responsibility,"
according to the agency.
Armenia has pushed for international recognition of the death
of Armenians under Ottoman rule as a genocide. Turkey denies that
charge and insists the Armenians were victims of widespread chaos and
governmental breakdown as the Ottoman Empire collapsed before modern
Turkey was born in 1923.
The two countries have no diplomatic or economic ties since Armenia
declared its independence in 1991. Last October, Turkey and Armenia
inked historic deals on normalizing ties and reopening their borders
after decades-old hostilities.
The agreements need to be ratified by both countries' parliaments
before taking effect.