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CLINTON: WHITE HOUSE OPPOSES ARMENIAN GENOCIDE LABEL
The Daily Star (Lebanon)
March 30, 2010 Tuesday
ISTANBUL: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has assured Turkey
that the White House opposes a congressional resolution labeling the
World War I massacres of Armenians in Turkey as genocide, the Turkish
Foreign Ministry said on Monday.The ministry issued the statement
after a phone call between Clinton and Foreign Minister
ISTANBUL: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has assured Turkey
that the White House opposes a congressional resolution labeling the
World War I massacres of Armenians in Turkey as genocide, the Turkish
Foreign Ministry said on Monday.
The ministry issued the statement after a phone call between Clinton
and Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu Sunday.
The US is keen to smooth over ties with Turkey, NATO's only Muslim
member, and a key ally in trouble spots from Afghanistan to the
Middle East.
Turkey recalled its ambassador in Washington after a US House of
Representatives committee approved a non-binding resolution on March
4 calling on President Barack Obama to refer to the killings of as
many as 1.5 million Armenians almost a century ago as genocide.
The full House of Representatives is due to consider the resolution,
although it was unclear whether it would go to a vote or had enough
support to pass.
"Secretary Clinton emphasized that the US administration opposes both
the decision accepted by the committee and the decision reaching the
general assembly," the statement said.
Turkey wants to be sure that Obama will not use the term genocide in
an address scheduled for April 24, and has halted high-profile visits
by officials.
Davutoglu told Clinton the congressional committee's resolution
had negatively affected efforts to improved stability in the South
Caucasus.
While Turkey and Armenia are trying to normalize relations and open
their shared border, progress is complicated by hostility between
Armenia and Turkey's fellow-Muslim ally, Azerbaijan.
Clinton said US officials hoped Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan will
attend a summit in Washington next month on nuclear disarmament,
the Foreign Ministry statement said.
Davutoglu said Erdogan would decide in the next few days whether to
attend the meeting on April 13 and 14. More than 40 world leaders
are expected at the summit.
Turkey has offered to use its close ties with Iran in Tehran's dispute
with the West over its nuclear program, but has indicated it may not
support a fourth round of UN sanctions being prepared by the United
States and other Western powers.
More than 20 nations recognize the killings of Armenians by Ottoman
Turks nearly a century ago as genocide. Turkey argues both Turks and
Armenians were killed during the chaos of war and the break-up of
the Ottoman Empire.
The Daily Star (Lebanon)
March 30, 2010 Tuesday
ISTANBUL: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has assured Turkey
that the White House opposes a congressional resolution labeling the
World War I massacres of Armenians in Turkey as genocide, the Turkish
Foreign Ministry said on Monday.The ministry issued the statement
after a phone call between Clinton and Foreign Minister
ISTANBUL: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has assured Turkey
that the White House opposes a congressional resolution labeling the
World War I massacres of Armenians in Turkey as genocide, the Turkish
Foreign Ministry said on Monday.
The ministry issued the statement after a phone call between Clinton
and Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu Sunday.
The US is keen to smooth over ties with Turkey, NATO's only Muslim
member, and a key ally in trouble spots from Afghanistan to the
Middle East.
Turkey recalled its ambassador in Washington after a US House of
Representatives committee approved a non-binding resolution on March
4 calling on President Barack Obama to refer to the killings of as
many as 1.5 million Armenians almost a century ago as genocide.
The full House of Representatives is due to consider the resolution,
although it was unclear whether it would go to a vote or had enough
support to pass.
"Secretary Clinton emphasized that the US administration opposes both
the decision accepted by the committee and the decision reaching the
general assembly," the statement said.
Turkey wants to be sure that Obama will not use the term genocide in
an address scheduled for April 24, and has halted high-profile visits
by officials.
Davutoglu told Clinton the congressional committee's resolution
had negatively affected efforts to improved stability in the South
Caucasus.
While Turkey and Armenia are trying to normalize relations and open
their shared border, progress is complicated by hostility between
Armenia and Turkey's fellow-Muslim ally, Azerbaijan.
Clinton said US officials hoped Premier Recep Tayyip Erdogan will
attend a summit in Washington next month on nuclear disarmament,
the Foreign Ministry statement said.
Davutoglu said Erdogan would decide in the next few days whether to
attend the meeting on April 13 and 14. More than 40 world leaders
are expected at the summit.
Turkey has offered to use its close ties with Iran in Tehran's dispute
with the West over its nuclear program, but has indicated it may not
support a fourth round of UN sanctions being prepared by the United
States and other Western powers.
More than 20 nations recognize the killings of Armenians by Ottoman
Turks nearly a century ago as genocide. Turkey argues both Turks and
Armenians were killed during the chaos of war and the break-up of
the Ottoman Empire.