- Title: TURKEY/USA: Turkey recalls ambassador to U.S. over genocide bill
- Date: 12th October 2007
- Summary: (BN15) ISTANBUL, TURKEY (OCTOBER 11, 2007) (REUTERS) TURKISH PRIME MINISTER TAYYIP ERDOGAN WALKING INSIDE AIRPORT TERMINAL MAN CARRYING BAGS (SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) TURKISH PRIME MINISTER, TAYYIP ERDOGAN SAYING: "There are also some steps that we are going to take as well, but it is not right time to vocalise those steps. We are working on them right now, and than we will decide our attitude in a determined way." REPORTER ASKING: "Is the closure of Incirlik airbase one of those steps ?" "We won't talk about those issues, we will just do them." ERDOGAN LEAVING CAR CARRYING ERDOGAN LEAVING AIRPORT
- Embargoed: 27th October 2007 13:00
- Keywords:
- Topics: International Relations
- Reuters ID: LVA693HLG9EQIC6HGBOYVQRXRMIF
- Story Text: The Turkish Ambassador to the United States, Nabi Sensoy is preparing to return to Ankara following what he calls the "one-sided" resolution by a congressional committee accusing Turkey of "genocide" against Armenians during World War One.
NATO-member Turkey recalled its ambassador to the United States for consulations on Thursday after a vote in a U.S. congressional committee branded killings of Armenians by Ottoman Turks genocide.
The U.S. House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee approved on Wednesday a resolution branding the killings during World War One as genocide -- a charge Turkey hotly denies.
The move coincided with a decision by Turkey's prime minister to ask parliament next week to authorise a military push into northern Iraq to fight Kurdish rebels, although analysts say a large cross-border operation remains unlikely.
Washington fears an offensive could destabilise Iraq's most peaceful area and potentially the wider region.
The issue of the Armenian massacres is deeply sensitive in Turkey, where it is a crime to portray them as "genocide".
Ankara says it wants the issue to be discussed by historians and jointly with Armenia, and not imposed on them by foreign powers.
Turkey has warned of damage to bilateral ties and military cooperation if Congress passes the measure.
Erdogan told reporters that he would "take steps" over the bill, though he wouldn't confirm what action would be taken.
The non-binding resolution now goes to the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives, where Democratic leaders say there will be a vote by mid-November. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
